Folkestone during the war [1914-1919] a record of the town's life and work

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FOLKESTONE
DURING THE WAR:

A Record of the Town's Life and Work.

EDITED BY

J. C. CARLILE, D.D.,

WITH CONTRIBUTIONS BY

Lieut.-Col. A. Atkinson, A. J. Crowhurst, Eric

Condy, Captain W. R. Fairbairn, G. W. Haines,

H.H., E. J. Mackway, Rear-Admiral Yelverton, C.B.

and the Editor.

Published by

F. J. Parsons, Ltd., Folkestone.

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CONTENTS.

Page
Foreword (/. C. Carlile) 4

Chapter I. — Folkestone, August, 1914,

(J. C. Carlile) 5

Chapter II. — Our Belgian Guests (J. C.

Carlile) 12

Chapter III. — The Call to the Colours

{Lieut. -Colonel A% Atkinson, Captain

W. R. Fairbairn, and G. W. Haines) 36
Chapter IV. — Shaping the New Army

(The Editor and Lieut. -Colonel E. M.

Liddell) 56

Chapter V. — In Case it Happened (/. C.

Carlile) ... 72

Chapter VI.— The Air Raids (A. J. Crowhurst) 87
Chapter VII. — Care of the Sick and

Wounded (Various Contributors) ... 131
Chapter VIII. — Social Life in War Time

(E. J. Mackway) 145

Chapter IX. — Canadian Life in Folkestone

(J. C. Carlile) 160

Chapter X. — Cross-Channel Service (Rear-
Admiral Yelverton and Others) ... 186
Chapter XI. — Providing Silver Bullets

(J. C. Carlile) 199

Chapter XII. — The Leas as an Observation

Post (H. H.) 208

Chapter XIII. — Work of the Churches

(Eric Condy) 220

Chapter XIV.— Heroes Who Did Not

Return 236

345608

FOREWORD.

This volume is an evidence of local patriotism. It
was made possible by the public spirit of the writers
and publishers, to whom the Editor expresses his
indebtedness.

No town in England has a record of war work
comparable with that of Folkestone. The coast-line
from Dover to Hythe forms a strategic point of vital
importance. It was not only the nearest to the
fighting line, but the key-position to England.
Looking back, it is wonderful to observe how little it
suffered and how nobly it bore the strain of continual
anxiety.

The information contained in the chapters has been
obtained from official sources, and from those actually
responsible for the work described. The Editor has
had the assistance of officials of Government Depart-
ments, the Consul of France, the Vice-Consul of
Belgium, Colonel Aytoun, Colonel Wright, Mr. A. F.
Kidson, Mr. W. H. Routly, Mr. H. Evans, and others,
in addition to those who have contributed signed
articles. Mr. A. J. Crowhurst has rendered valuable
help in revising the proofs, and Mr. Stuart Hills has
compiled the list of the fallen.

FOLKESTONE DURING
THE WAR:

A Record of the Town's Life and Activities.

CHAPTER I.

FOLKESTONE IN 1914.

By the Editor.

August, 1914, seems almost prehistoric, so remote
that it is difficult to reconstruct the period. Yet
the world went very well then. The Folkestone
season was opening ; thousands of visitors had flocked
to the town, attracted by the health-giving qualities
of the breezes from the sea and the charm of the
scenery. Passengers crossing from the Continent
watch for the white cliffs that stand for England.
How lovely they are to the eyes of wanderers returning
home. They are as welcome as the grasp of friendship.
As the ship comes nearer there is the view of the
Warren — called " Little Switzerland." It is always a
dream of beauty to lovers of Nature : the cliffs with
their glory of gold, blue, and white, the wealth of wild
flowers, the deep ravines ; the beach with its boulders
flung about as if by giants in their sport ; the growths
of moss ; sheltered nooks that lovers linger to explore ;
the trees rich in foliage and music ; and the sea with
its fantastic crests upon the waves and restless move-
ment ; all creating an impression upon memory that
remains among the precious things of life. The
Warren is always a picture, but hardly ever seen

b FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

just as it was before. Visitors continually remark
how changed it is since they last saw it. They are
right ; it is ever changing ; the peculiar charm it pos-
sesses is the creation of the light over the haze that
hangs about its depths and pools of fresh water,
continually being transformed into suggestions of
unsuspected beauty.

On the other side of the Harbour there is the long
stretch of the Leas. There England is green to the
sea ; the varied heights connected by the narrow
winding paths between the trees, the resting-places of
birds in song. The charm of the Lower Road is in
danger of being marred by the stalls of the traders that
dot the beach like rabbit hutches in a back garden. The
road, with the old Toll-house and gate, and Sandgate
Castle at the end, makes one of the prettiest picture
postcards in the country. The steep cliffs and cable
elevators remind one of Swiss scenery. Above, there
is the table-land of the Leas, one of the finest pro-
menades by the sea to be found in England, and one
of the most popular health resorts in the world. The
air has the scent of the flowers and the firs, mingled
with the salt of the sea. On the Leas there is the
strong tonic of the breeze ; down on the Lower
Road, sheltered from the winds, there is a warmer
climate, so welcome to the invalid, and all round there
is the panorama of beauty.

The Harbour is always a source of interest. Fishing-
boats come and go with their copper-coloured sails.
The Market, with its quaint background of little
cottages built into the cliff, tells a bit of history to
any who care to learn. The Harbour is one of the
main entrances to England, a favourite place for

FOLKESTONE IN I9I4. 7

sea anglers, and those who find delight in watching
the passing show of many-sided humanity never fail
to discover a new phase.

The Leas presented an animated picture in July,
1914. All varieties of fashion were represented
along the famous promenade. The band — one of
the best in the country — played at the end of the
Leas, between the Hotels Metropole and Grand.
Behind, the hills stretched in their varied loveliness ;
Caesar's Camp and Sugar Loaf stood out in all their
glory of living green. The sky was as near the
Mediterranean blue as one was likely to see in England.
The ships going up and down the Channel provided
endless interest and speculation ; the sea was as calm
as a mill-pond, and down the picturesque slope
from the Leas to the beach the birds sang in the
fir-trees, and the children played among the bracken.
Little did the happy throng of visitors dream that,
just across the Channel, were all the preparations
for a great War, that would outrage Belgium, and
lay waste the fair fields of France ; and that Britain
within a few days would be plunged into a conflict
such as the world had never known. It is a happy
arrangement that humans are unable to read the
future. Could the veil have been lifted, there would
have been no sound of laughter on the Leas ; the joy
would have gone from the faces of the girls, and the
frivolity from the talk of the boys.

The retired captains played their golf in the morn-
ing, slept in the afternoon, managed to get a rubber
of bridge in the evening, or occupied themselves
with a discussion of the morning game and a pipe.
The admirals who had been on half-pay for more

8 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

years than ladies cared to remember strolled down
to the seats by the Shelter, and swept the sea with
their glasses, discussed the character of the craft,
then read their papers and dozed.

Very few people had any conception of the approach
of the War. True, Admiral Penrose-Fitzgerald
and some others were quite sure that Germany in-
tended War with France, and ultimately the invasion
of England. The gallant Admiral had written and
spoken upon the subject ; but men smiled and thought
him a crank. For the rest, the politicians and the
public did not dream that the assassination of the
heir to the Austrian throne and his consort would be
made, not the reason, but the excuse, for Germany's
ruthless campaign for world-power.

When the possibility of War became clear, there
was great anxiety in Folkestone. There were many
German and Austrian residents ; scarcely one of the
hotels or larger pensions was without Germans on
the staff. One place of worship had a German Bible
Class, with more than eighty members and associates.
These men, all of military age, were teachers and better-
class waiters. To them, the prospect of war was a
very real thing, and when the message came for them
to leave the country the "Good-byes " were most
affecting. It was said that a ship-load of enemy
aliens was detained until war was actually declared,
and then carried round to a neighbouring port to be
interned for the duration of the war, greatly to the
satisfaction of the prisoners.

When the news came, on August 4th, that England
was at war, it seemed as the falling of a bolt from the
blue. English people knew nothing of the actuality

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of a great war. The South African affair was child's
play in comparison with what everybody recognised
would happen if the most powerful Empires in the
world faced each other in deadly conflict. We knew
enough of Germany to know that she would fight with
desperation ; that her plans had been well laid, and
nothing left to chance. The honest efforts of Sir
Edward Grey to preserve Peace ended in failure.
The responsibility rested with the Kaiser and his
advisers, and rightly upon them the Nemesis of Fate
has fallen.

The news of war cleared the town of Folkestone
as effectively as though a plague had desolated her
homes. The ' ' knuts ' ' left the Leas ; there was a
return to town. Within a few days 285 German
reservists arrived at the Harbour to join the Kaiser's
forces. They were detained on the ground that the
time allowed for enemy aliens to leave the country
had expired ; they did not seem distressed by the
news. An escort was sent down from the camp, and
the prisoners were marched along Sandgate Road, and
finally sent to very comfortable quarters at Christ's
Hospital School, Horsham.

Within seven days of the Declaration of War Folke-
stone was made a prohibited area. All aliens were
required to register and satisfy the Chief Constable
as to their reasons for wishing to remain in the town.
During the first week more than 1,000 aliens applied
for permits.

Patriotic demonstrations were held, and many
men joined the colours. The Folkestone Territorials
were invited to volunteer for service abroad, and
quite a large percentage — officers and men — readily

10 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

responded to the call of the country. The local
R.A.M.C. rapidly prepared for work in the field, and
offered to go wherever they might be required. The
old officers got in communication with the War Office,
to offer their services. Shorncliffe Camp bristled
with activity. It was rumoured that Folkestone
might expect invasion by the German Fleet ; that
there would be attempts to land a force somewhere
between Dover and the town. The air was thick
with alarms. There was a vague dread of something
terrible — nobody quite knew what. The strain was very
great, but during those days, before the town became
used to war, it was very noticeable that, beneath
the surface excitement and anxiety, the people mani-
fested a strong confidence in the righteousness of the
nation's cause, and an unconscious assurance that it
would be all right. There was no panic ; no shrinking
from duty ; just a buzz of excitement, a ripple of un-
certainty, and an undercurrent of strength.

The band discoursed upon the Leas, but the gay
crowd was not there. The boys were enlisting ;
they were exchanging the immaculate collars and
cuffs for the soldier's garb. Women were asking
what they could do, and were preparing for manifold
kinds of service. The trade of the hotel proprietors
and boarding-house keepers was at a standstill, and
the outlook was very dark. The sunshine on the
cliffs had still its glories of gold and blue. The Lower
Road was as beautiful as before, and the birds sang
just as sweetly ; Nature was all unconscious of the
havoc man would make in the frenzy of war.

The town was the same, but life had changed from
those old days when the visitors leisurely walked

FOLKESTONE IN I914. II

round the Parish Church and heard the stories of its
associations with the famous Monastery for black nuns
of the Benedictine Order, founded by St. Eanswyth,
daughter of Eadbald, King of Kent. The coming
of war cleared the roads of the pleasure cars that
used to run by River and through the lovely
country to Canterbury, the cradle of English
history. The sportsmen no longer followed the
hounds ; they went to face the Huns. The days
became serious, men looked over the sea with a touch
of apprehension, and before the end of the year the
light of the moon was no longer a delight. The little
comedy of life was blotted out by the tragedy of war.

CHAPTER II.

OUR BELGIAN GUESTS.
By the Editor.

England's first actual contact with the grim horrors
of war was in Folkestone, about August 20th, when
boats came into the harbour crowded with Refugees
from gallant little Belgium. The earliest arrivals
came in fishing craft and coal carriers. The visitors
were terror-stricken, and many of them absolutely
refused to leave the boats. The news of the coming
of the Belgians was not made public until eight or
nine days later, when it appeared in the Press.

It is impossible to tell who were the first good
Samaritans to minister to the poor souls who had
fallen among thieves and been stripped of their belong-
ings. Probably the honour is shared among a few
unnamed fisher-people, whose generosity is only
surpassed by their courage. They knew the facts
and saw the conditions of the people on the boats,
and came to their assistance. They called in the aid
of two local Ministers, who joined in the efforts to
provide hospitality ; but the need grew as if by magic.
Within a few days thousands of destitute Belgian
people had arrived, and created problems of their
own. Their primary needs of food and shelter brooked
no delay. Each boat brought a cargo of huddled
humanity like dumb-driven cattle ; they had fled
from coast towns and cities outraged by the invader.
Their plight was pitiful. Some had been in the train

OUR BELGIAN GUESTS. 13

for a day and a night ; others on the road for several
days, with but little food. Few had any clothing,
except the garments they were wearing. One white-
haired old dame came in carpet slippers, not having
been able to secure her boots, in the hurry and panic
to escape the Hun.

Folkestone was very soon the only open door to
England, and the suppliants on her doorstep seeking
food and protection represented all classes of the
community. Their presence was our first glimpse
of the terrible reality of war. They brought home to
the people, in dramatic form, the meaning of the
struggle in which the Empire was engaged. The scenes
on the Harbour were too heartrending to be repro-
duced in words. There were men, honoured and
revered in their own land, driven into poverty and
exile, not for any offence of their own, or their
country's, but simply because their little land was
geographically the bufter-nation between Germany
and her coveted victim. The Belgian Prime Minister
spoke for the people when he said : " Faced with
the choice between what her own immediate interests
seemed to dictate and what honour demanded, Bel-
gium did not hesitate. " " The Belgian Government
is determined to resist any attack upon its rights
by every means at its disposal. ' ' King Albert nobly
declared : "A people which is true to itself may be
conquered, but cannot be subdued. ' '

One of the Refugees from Louvain told of nameless
things. He described how the Prussians entered
his home, dragged him forth with his family, and
pinned him to the wall with a bayonet, compelling
him to direct their search for money and valuables ;

14 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

and when these had been taken, and all the domestic
treasures carried off as loot, the furniture was smashed,
thrown into a pile, and the house burned to the ground,
leaving the family in despair and desolation on the
road.

There were mothers who had been hounded from
home and country before they could gather the little
ones to their arms. Their agony was intensified
by the uncertainty of the fate of their children, and all
means of communication were cut off. There were
girls with flushed cheeks and wild, terrified eyes,
whose story others whispered under their breath.
They were the victims of German lust. They shrank
in horror from the thought that they might become
the unwilling mothers of the enemy's children. And
there on the quay was the most pathetic sight of all —
little children stood clinging to big sisters for protection,
or holding mother's dress with trembling fingers.
They drew back in fear at the sound of a stranger's
voice, as dogs shrink from those they distrust.

It is impossible to behold such sights and ever
forget, and very difficult ever to forgive.

Folkestone represented the Empire in receiving
her hapless visitors. Before any formal organisation
was brought into existence, there was the operation
of spontaneous sympathy responding to the urgency
of need. Fishermen's homes were opened to people
whose language they could not understand. Poor
families shared with their strange guests, and some
gave up their beds, counting it an honour to sleep on
the floor that the exiles might spend the night in the
comfort of home.

On the 24th of August, 1914, was constituted a

OUR BELGIAN GUESTS. 15

Belgian Committee for Refugees, from a body of men
who had been giving help for some days. It was
officially instituted at the French Protestant Church,
Victoria Grove, by a Belgian Vice-Consul from London.
The President was a Belgian Folkestone resident, who
soon afterwards became Belgium's representative.

Mr. H. Froggatt, one of the masters of the Grammar
School, brought together a few boys who could
speak French. They acted as guides to little
groups of Refugees on their way to the homes
where they could be received. The sight of those
straggling companies of strangers going along the
streets with their scanty belongings in bundles they
would not trust to other hands presented a picture
Time will never obliterate from memory. The pathos
and comedy of it all were strangely blended. Like
frightened animals, the new-comers refused to be
separated, chosing rather to endure the discomfort of
spending the night together in an overcrowded room
than occupy separate apartments and sleep in
comfort. They realised they were among friends,
and their peril was past, but the strain had been too
great. They laughed and wept, repeatedly embraced
their children, and then kissed each other. It was as
an awakening from a bad dream.

A Refugees Relief Committee was formed. The
original members were : —

The Mayor (Sir Stephen Penfold).

Mr. Alderman Spurgen (Deputy-Mayor).

Mr. Alderman Bishop.

The Rev. J. C. Carlile.

Mr. V. D. de Wet.

Mr. Drummond Hay.

1 6 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

Madame Finez.

Mr. G. Gelardi.

Mrs. Penrose-FitzGerald.

Mr. F. Ronco.

Mrs. Bishop.

The Very Rev. Monsgr. C. Coote (became a
member later).

Chevalier d'Ydewalle.

Mrs. Drummond Hay.

Mr. Councillor Franks.

Mr. A. F. Kidson (Town Clerk).

Pasteur A. Peterson.

Mr. W. H. Routly (Borough Treasurer), Hon.
Sec.

Dr. Yunge-Bateman (Medical Officer of Health).
The Committee set to work to provide food and
shelter. Some of the Churches undertook the respon-
sibility'of collecting food required upon certain days
of the week ; but the task was far beyond their powers.
Hotel proprietors gave generously, and shopkeepers
readily joined in the effort ; boarding-house proprietors
lent or gave clothing, and beds were made up in Church
halls and public schools. " The Times" and other
journals appealed for funds and garments. The
response was immediate and very generous. The town
spoke, not for herself, but for the larger community,
and her message Was one of good cheer. The business
methods of the Committee were exceedingly good.
Expert advice was called in, and the Government sent
down advisers to co-operate in the colossal task
presented by many thousands of destitute people.

As the boats arrived a company of ladies met the
Refugees with food and hot drinks, so that those who

Photo] [Halksworth Wheeler.

Belgian Refugees Arriving.

Photo] [Halksworth Wheeler.

Belgian Pays Homage to English Girl.

OUR BELGIAN GUESTS. 17

were entrained and passed on to other towns might
have refreshment on their journey. The magnitnde
of this branch of the work has not been realized. It
became too expensive for the local Committee :
441,860 meals were served to Belgian soldiers apart
from the food distributed to civilians. Large quantities
of sandwiches were handed into trains. The Local
Government Board undertook the arrangements and
the cost, with Miss Ivy Weston, the Misses Spurgen.
Miss Coop, and other ladies as voluntary workers,
Many men and women gave their services as inter-
preters, and rendered valuable assistance in supplying
information.

There were strange tangles to be unravelled.
Husbands and wives became separated from each
other, and had not the least idea of what had happened.
In many cases the wife thought the husband dead,
killed in the defence of his town. One instance, as
an illustration, may be recalled. Edward de Neve,
a Belgian soldier, was wounded in the knee, and
sent to England. His brother was thought to have
been killed at Antwerp, and the supposed widow
arrived in Folkestone, desolate in her grief. Enquiries
were made concerning the brother. It was thought
he had been sent to Cambridge, but there no such
person was known. They had, however, passed on
to another hospital a soldier bearing the same name,
who turned out to be the husband of the poor woman
who was seeking to find her brother-in-law. Her
joy upon the discovery of her husband knew no
bounds.

Correspondence poured in to individual members
of the Committee. One of them received repeated

10 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

applications for particulars concerning cases of
Belgian children whose hands had been cut off by the
Germans. An eminent surgeon wrote that he was
extremely anxious to find such a case, purely from a
surgical point of view, in order to try a new invention
of artificial hands which would be of enormous advan-
tage to a child in this condition. No such cases could
be found in Folkestone, much to the disappointment of
correspondents. From an "American" came an
offer of £1,000 for anyone who could bring forward
a child with hands mutilated by Germans. Later
it was discovered that the offer was made by
agents of Germany, well aware that such cases could
not be found in England ! Many letters were received
containing donations for the fund. They were full
of generous sympathy ; labourers and servant-maids
sent their shillings, and wealthy donors contributed
large cheques. Poor people sent part of their clothing,
literally fulfilling the ideal requirement of the Sermon
on the Mount. Offers of hospitality came from all
over the country. Professional men invited members
of their own class to share their homes. Churches of
all creeds offered to set up hostels and guest-houses,
which were of the greatest value. Many of these
institutions have been maintained all through the
War. At first the appeal had the glamour of novelty
and War Funds were few ; but as the years passed the
Belgian became a more familiar figure, and the need
was greatly lessened by employment being obtained
for those able to work ; but there were still many
incapacitated by age or infirmity for the ordinary
avocations of life. They have been maintained, so
that, as M. Charles Dessain, the gallant Burgomaster

OUR BELGIAN GUESTS. 1 9

of Malines, speaking at Folkestone, said : ' ' When I
asked the Belgians who were here if they wanted
anything, they answered : No. Everything we want
is given us, and our very wishes are forestalled. ' '

An important part of the work was the first care of
the sick. Many old people were utterly prostrate after
their journey, others suffered from nerve shock, and
some were ailing. Those were cared for in the old
Grammar School House, which was turned into a
Hospital and Night Hostel. About sixty persons each
night slept in the dormitories. About 300 patients were
treated. Miss M. A. Parsons was in charge, assisted by
Nurse Wilson, two V.A.D.'s and Miss Parsons. The
work was entirely voluntary.

The poorer people of the fishing class who came over
the sea in trawlers and coal boats would not leave the
Harbour. They were afraid to trust themselves on
shore. The Hon. Rose Hubbard and other ladies
went to them and found means to win their confidence
and then to get them to land.

The Relief Committee divided up into a number of
Sub-Committees dealing with the provision of clothing
for the Refugees who were living in the town and for
those passing through it who were in need ; the collec-
tion and distribution of food ; financial assistance to
families whose means were exhausted or insufficient ;
the care of women during confinement ; the provision
of free hospitality in other parts of the country. The
great majority of the Refugees, when they landed at
the Harbour, were practically destitute. They were
taken to St. Michael's Hall, where a substantial meal
was served, and where those who were insufficiently
clad were provided with clothing. Many residents

20 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

worked long hours at the Hall, and were prepared to
undertake any menial service if they could add to the
comfort of their poor guests. As the worked developed
the premises known as the old Harvey Grammar School,
comprising a large house and a number of class-rooms,
were placed by the Corporation at the disposal of the
Committee. The class-rooms were used as reception
and registration halls, and fitting-rooms where persons
were supplied with the garments they needed. The
rooms in the house were used as dormitories ; but of
course this large provision was but a fraction of what
was required, and lodgings were obtained without
payment in all parts of the town. Even then the need
was not met, and small sums were paid to those who
were unable to offer free hospitality. Great numbers
of Refugees were drafted on to other parts of the
country. It was no small business to register the new
arrivals, and to secure their passage to their destination.
Employers in other parts of the country offered
work for those who were skilled in various branches of
industry, and to the honour of the Belgian working-
classes, the Committee records the fact that the
majority of them were more anxious to obtain employ-
ment, that they might support themselves, than to
remain in idleness receiving charity. Many were
engaged in hop-picking, and in the orchards of Kent.
In Folkestone and other towns, shop-keepers were
glad to be able to put up a notice to the effect that
French was spoken behind the counter. This provided
employment for a considerable number of the shop
assistant class. Schools offered to receive teachers,
and the Universities gave generous hospitality to
members of the teaching profession unable to find

OUR BELGIAN GUESTS. 21

employment. In all cases where employment was found
through the Folkestone Committee, careful enquiries
were made as to the rates of wages, so that there
should be no trouble with the Labour Organizations,
and that the Refugees should be protected against any
exploitation of their labour, though that was hardly
necessary.

The provision of garments occupied a great deal of
the Committee's attention. The Refugees came
with the clothes they stood up in ; and as the winter
approached their condition was critical. Many of the
better-class people wore their summer clothing far
into the winter rather than ask for assistance. Resi-
dents of the town found ways of supplying clothing
without offending the finer feelings. Beautiful things
were done which may not be recorded. It was calcu-
lated that 15,000 Belgians were living in the town
whose need of warm clothing was apparent. A special
appeal was made through the Press, and the require-
ments were met. The Committee determined that their
guests in social positions of influence in their own
country should not be offered second-hand garments,
but should be enabled to purchase in the ordinary way
from the Stores. One-third of the price was contributed
by the Committee. Large quantities of food were
received from all over the country, and proved very
acceptable.

The first arrivals from Belgium brought with them
a woman who had become a mother on the journey
across the Channel. She was taken to the hospital
with her little baby, and cared for, the child becoming
strong and bonny.

A pathetic little object, named Elizabeth, was born

22 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

on Ostend quay, and brought to Folkestone in an
open fishing boat. The baby only weighed 2lbs. 40ZS.
It was the general opinion that she could not live,
but, thanks to excellent nursing, she grew into an
exceedingly pretty and healthy child.

Mrs. Linington became responsible for three beds
in a small room in the Royal Victoria Hospital.
This was the origin of the Maternity Home. It was
afterwards removed to Bournemouth Road. Twenty-
three babies were born and cared for. Each baby
and mother leaving the institution received a com-
plete outfit of clothes. Many ladies were interested in
mothering the little ones, and were not slow to perceive
the need of extending the work of the Maternity Home.
Another house, under the direction of Mrs. Muir,
was opened, and ministered to the needs of
mothers in their hour of trial. Local medical men
gave their services, and throughout the War there has
been no lack of accommodation for women who were
expecting to become mothers. Princess Clementine,
upon her visit to Folkestone, went through two of the
Maternity Homes, and expressed her gratitude and
delight. It was good to see the babies in mothers'
arms, and the happiness of the women who had
found, not a haven of refuge, but a real home,
with women who were their friends. One of the best
forms of social ministry during the War was the
Maternity Home, and to it not a few women owe their
lives and the lives of their children. Some odd things
happened in this connection. A little child of Belgian
parents, sent on from Folkestone, was born at
Yarmouth, and named by the priest; afterwards it
was discovered that the parents were Protestants.

OUR BELGIAN GUESTS. 23

The authorities objected ; the baby had been christened
and could not be christened a second time. There
seemed to be no way of rectifying the mistake,
until the mother was able to assert her own rights,
and the child was probably not less happy in having
been christened upon two occasions, though he was
quite unique.

The Local Government Board sent representatives
to take charge of the organisation. Mr. Basil Williams
and Mr. Franklin did much to overcome the difficulties
of providing food and housing for thousands of exiles
who might arrive during the day or night with no
longer notice than the sighting of the ship's signals.

The Acting Secretary of the Committee, Mr. Toke.
was far too modest to make much of his office, though
every worker knew that he was behind all the
machinery as chief engineer. There were many
residents who gave of their time and money without
hesitation, but practically all Folkestone was a War
Relief Committee ; only a small part of the hospitality
could be chronicled as going through organised
agencies. Madame Peterson brought together a group
of Belgian women of social influence who formed a
working party to provide comforts for men at the
Front. During the years of war, bales of garments have
regularly been dispatched upon their ministry of good
cheer. Mrs. Penrose FitzGerald never seemed to tire
in her efforts for the exiles ; to her ingenious initiative
could be traced ways and means of raising money and
adding to the comfort of the poor people under her care.
The late Mrs. Ambler and Mrs. Jones had charge of the
first hostel at the old Grammar School ; Mrs. Carlile
had rooms set apart at her private residence for fitting

24 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

garments. The Baptist Women's League and other
friends, in response to an appeal, sent over five
thousand articles of wearing apparel.

There was considerable difficulty with the Belgians
who possessed money in getting it changed. The
Committee secured the assistance of the Central
Organization in London and the Banks, so that the
exchange rates were not unnecessarily low.

The Belgian Colony in Folkestone soon organized
its own activities. A College was opened for boys ;
the Education Committee lent the necessary apparatus,
and pupils were enabled to continue their studies. A
number of Catholic clergy took up the work and
carried it through with ability and devotion. English
classes for adults had many students who forgot the
tedium of their exile in their efforts to master irregular
verbs. A Literary Circle met frequently to exchange
ideas and become acquainted with the great masters
of prose. Literature has ever been the means of
international goodwill, and was never more enjoyed
than by the English-Belgian group, meeting under
such tragic conditions by the fringe of the sea.

The Refugees represented all sections of the com-
munity, from the zealous patriots to the Germanised
renegades — all sorts and conditions, good, bad and
indifferent, came to our shores.

Messrs. Bobby & Co. generously placed at the
disposal of the Belgians a block of seven houses in
Sandgate Road, and these were used for official
purposes.

The Belgian Vice-Consul, M. Peterson, was one of the
discoveries of the war. When Sir Charles Allom
suggested to the Belgian Legation in London that the

Photo] [Halksworth Wheeler.

First Three Babies Born in Belgian Maternity
Home.

Photo] [Halksuorth Wheeler

Children's Ward in Belgian Refugees Home.

OUR BELGIAN GUESTS. 25

Pastor of the local Huguenot Church should become
King Albert's representative he did a good stroke of
business for the Allies. M. Peterson had no special
training for the office, but he brought to it considerable
gifts of insight and administration and a fine quality
of eloquence. In the early days the Vice-Consul had
more than ioo interviews per day and dispatched a
daily average of 50 letters.

He created and organised all the different Consular
and Military departments. Folkestone became one of
the great centres of War activities. The Intelligence
Offices were in constant communication with Belgium
and knew all the important movements of the enemy
in the occupied territory.

The work of those departments was very much
greater and far more important than was supposed.
If we were permitted to tell the whole story, it would
be a revelation — particularly to Germany. In the
early months of the War the gallant little army
defending Belgium suffered terribly, and the numbers
were sadly depleted, but the supply of young men was
steadily maintained. 35,000 recruits were enlisted in
Folkestone, and a large majority of them were men
who had endured great privations and faced extreme
dangers in escaping from Belgium through Holland.
They crept through the German lines and crawled over
the open spaces of No Man's Land to the electric wire
enclosing the Dutch frontier. It is estimated that
of those who made the great adventure at least one in
three died or was killed in the attempt, yet 35,000
reached Folkestone and went back to fight for their
dear Homeland.

The Intelligence Department kept the Allies informed

26 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

of the arrival of enemy forces in Belgium, and tracked
many spies who came as Refugees. The Department
has material for the novelist, a shoal of thrilling stories
of clever inpersonations and arrests ; but they will
remain secret.

Before the war Belgium, as England, was over-run by
German ' ' agents. ' ' One of these came as a professor
of languages. He told a pathetic story : in early
life he was in the army and his great regret was that he
could no longer fight. He became a favourite with
the soldiers, telling good stories and receiving hospi-
tality. He was a welcome visitor to the camp, dividing
his time between watching military manoeuvres and
writing his experiences in the Public Library. Every-
body was kind to the poor old professor, who never
tired of telling his bitter experiences and rubbing his
hands in delight while he listened to the boys in khaki
describing their regiments' movements. One night
he left the Library for his lodgings to discover a man
in possession of his papers, and two officers with
revolvers cocked, until he was safely handcuffed. He
was a first-class Secret Service agent, but his letters had
been regularly intercepted, and "bluff" communica-
tions sent instead, by which the enemy was misled all
the time.

The story of individual effort, could it be chronicled,
would reveal a wealth of generous sentiment, expressed
in beautiful and unostentatious actions, seeking no
reward but that of doing good. The record of organized
relief is a distinction to the town and the country.
It was England's offering to her gallant Allies, who
seemed at the moment to have lost everything but
honour and courage.

OUR BELGIAN GUESTS. 27

All the local Churches in Folkestone did nobly. The
Roman Catholic Church opened a club and hostel,
which became a popular meeting-place and a haven of
rest for large numbers of Belgians. The Baptist
Church raised a fund for Protestant Pasteurs who
were in sore straits. Several of these were enabled to
remain in the town, and continue their ministry
among their own people. They established a service in
French, which was held regularly. Some of the
Evangelists were supported while they rendered assist-
ance in other towns to which Belgians had gone. The
Public Library became a favourite rendezvous for
the reading class. Its reference department was very
popular, and won the admiration of professional
men compelled to be the guests of England. All
the Churches gave special collections and help of various
kinds. The Bathing Establishment granted the use
of their large hall to be used as a Club and Reading
Room. It was well supplied with newspapers,
magazines, and playthings for the little people. It
was very popular, and will remain a pleasant memory
for many women and children.

The issue of " Le Franco-Beige" by Messrs. F. J.
Parsons kept Belgians who were unable to read
English well informed of the happenings in their own
land and on the Fronts. News was carried from
Brussels and other centres. Special couriers came
and went with the news in their memories. They
crossed the German lines at the risk of their lives,
and even printed a special sheet under the feet of
their oppressors. The Brussels journal was printed
in a basement under the pathway of one of the most
frequented streets.

28 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

A Guild of Good Fellowship was inaugurated,
enabling soldiers to keep in touch with those they had
met in the town when on leave. Many pathetic letters
were sent by boys from the mud of the trenches.

The work of the Refugees Committee cannot be
told in statistics, but the figures indicate the magnitude
of the enterprise.

The number of grants to assist persons to meet
their living expenses up to February, 1919, was 6,580.

The total number of meals supplied to Refugees
was 115,000.

Sleeping accommodation was provided for 22,180
persons.

The total number of Refugees sent from Folkestone
at the expense of the British Government was 64,500 ;
there were 44,000 who passed through the town at
their own expense.

It is impossible to record the number of garments
given ; it reached to hundreds of thousands. The
amount spent by the Committee up to January 31st,
1919, was £27,184, of which the Government provided
more than £20,000.

The gratitude of the Belgians found expression in
various ways : in presentations to the Mayor and
others who were more prominent in the general
manifestation of hospitality. A tablet was erected in
the Town Hall, bearing the inscription : —

To the Town Council of

FOLKESTONE,

The Committee, and all who

worked so devotedly for their

Relief, this Tribute is

gratefully offered by the

BELGIAN WAR REFUGEES.

1916.

OUR BELGIAN GUESTS. 20,

At the unveiling ceremony the Vice-Consul, in a
memorable utterance, expressed the sentiments of
the Belgian Government. We venture to reproduce
the following passages : —

"We have just been celebrating the anniversary of
the Independence of Belgium, and we have expressed
the hope soon to see our native land regain her liberty.

"We hold the firm conviction that the victorious
armies of the Allies will bring liberation and happiness
to our country.

"We have chosen this day, which inflames our
pride and exalts our hopes, not to acquit ourselves
of a duty, but solemnly to declare our deep debt of
gratitude.

"I have the honour, Mr. Mayor and Members of
the Town Council, to ask you to kindly accept, in the
name of the town, the Memorial Tablet offered by the
Belgian Ladies' Committee and to which have contri-
buted the Belgians of Folkestone, in testimony of the
hospitality given to the refugees by your towns-
people.

"Opposite the 'Public Record' of the sons of
Folkestone who fought for their country in a
previous war, another tablet is now erected which
will tell future generations your magnificent work of
charity.

"Let me remind you of the hard trial we went
through : you are too generous to recall it yourselves :
the sympathetic help that we have found among you.

" Our little Belgium, confident in the friendship of
other nations, gladly welcoming everyone, confiding
in the faith of the treaties, followed fearlessly her
peaceful destiny.

30 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

"Suddenly, without cause or pretext, a false and
barbarous neighbour, tears to pieces the solemn pact
garanteeing our neutrality, and invades her soil.

"Their army numbers more soldiers than the whole
population of Belgium. Our small and gallant army
works splendidly, but is overwhelmed. Invasion
follows, with all its horrible consequences.

" Slaughter, pillage, violence, conflagrations, all the
evils that our civilisation tried to forget and hoped
never to see again, are brought back by the methodical
plan of an enemy to whom terror is a means of
domination.

" The Belgians, driven out of their homes, deprived
of everything, ruined, flee from their destroyed towns
and villages.

" The sea is free and guides them to their old and
trusted protectrice — England.

" The refugees land by thousands, without bread,
without clothes, without hope, the soul as suffering
as the body.

" Then, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is here that your
work began.

" Immediately your compassion awakes.

" The deeper our misery, the more generous your
charity, and with this fine business-like spirit which
makes the strength of your nation, help is
spontaneously organised.

" The whole of Folkestone came to our assistance.

" Lodgings are provided, food is distributed, clothing
procured. Everyone gives what he can in charity.
And as Folkestone is too small to harbour all the
refugees, from all parts of England friendly hands are
outstretched to help them.

OUR BELGIAN GUESTS. 31

" Factories are opened to the workers, schools for
children.

"To you, Gentlemen, who have given your time and
your labour, to you the helpers of the first hours,
to you the founders and members of the War Relief
Committee, to you all, the assurance of our sincere
thanks.

" To you, Ladies, we offer also a tribute of our deep
gratitude. Through your feminine delicacy you have
divined needs without the humiliating avowal and
discovered the hidden suffering.

" Your gifts were of an inestimable value, for they
were guided by your heart.

" This the Belgians will never forget !

" Our little children add to this ceremony the help
of their frail and simple voices. Their place is here :
it is a page of history for them. This hour will never
fade from their memory. They will remember to have
seen their parents affirming their feelings of friendship
and gratefulness toward the great English nation.

" They will take back to their country these seeds of
gratitude, which will open in their souls as well as in
those of their brethren who stayed in their country, into
flowers of respectful affection and cordial esteem.

" And in times to come, when the blessings of peace
will have blotted out the sufferings and the sorrows,
their thoughts will go back, with fervent emotion,
towards the white coast of England and towards this
beautiful town of Folkestone, and then will say :

' ' ' There are our friends. ' ' '

An allegorical painting was executed by the well-
known artist, Signor Franzoni. The work hangs in the
Council Chamber. It depicts the arrival of the boat

32 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

bearing the first company of refugees : little tots and
old people are on the quay being met by a Red Cross
Nurse and Folkestone children with food, while in the
foreground there is a group of representative men,
nearly all of whom were members of the first Relief
Committee. On presenting the picture, the distin-
guished artist delivered an impassioned oration from
which we reproduce the following passage :

"When I left Belgium she was invaded by the
brutal German, whose ' Kultur ' was expressed by
murder, pillage, rape, and the slaughter of old men,
women, and little children. Unhappy Belgium ! I
loved her because she had generously given me hospital-
ity, and I would willingly have given my life for her,
my second fatherland, the country of my wife and
child. I was terribly unhappy, for I shared in all the
sufferings of her martyrdom. After having vented my
grief by crying aloud in my own country the indigna-
tion and horror I felt at so many useless cruelties,
after having completed the thankless task of holding
public meetings to excite the sympathy of crowds, and
to force them to do their duty towards the heroic
defenders of the sacred cause of Justice and Honour,
I came back to England, which a study of history had
taught me to love — England, a nation ennobled
by its deep devotion to the cause of Justice and
Liberty. Here I witnessed other actions equally
unforgettable; not deeds of cruelty like those I had
seen perpetrated in Belgium by the Huns, but deeds
of kindness and of love for suffering humanity.
Remarkable for their ruthlessness are the barbarous
deeds of the accursed German ; equally remarkable
for generosity and devotion are the great sacrifices

Photo! [Halksworth Wheeler.

Belgian and French People Crowding into
Roman Catholic Church (1914).

Photo] [Halksworth Wheeler.

Queue of French and Belgians Entering
Bank to Change Money.

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OUR BELGIAN GUESTS. 33

made with touching simplicity by the noble hearts of
Great Britain. These are the deeds which have freed
me from the nightmare of German atrocities, and
which have aroused my imagination as an artist to
show on canvas, though in a very feeble way, a small
portion of the magnificent generosity of England
towards the Belgians, in the hope of reminding future
generations of the nature of the generosity and of the
spontaneity with which it was offered. ' '

Among Folkestone women who rendered conspicuous
assistance to the Belgians was Miss Marjorie Wood,
who went to France with the First Aid Nursing Yeo-
manry, a Corps composed of women who gave their
services as motorists, some of them providing their
own cars, and undertook the conveyance of the wounded
from the lines to the hospitals.

Miss Wood has driven over the greater part of the
Western Front, and has been chauffeur and guide to
distinguished persons, including His Majesty the
King and Belgian Generals. The following exploit
on the official record for September, 191 8, gives a
vivid inpression of the kind of work in which she was
engaged.

"Before the rush of work came, we were having a
good many runs, as there was a great deal of sickness
about, and the cars were kept busy all day, though the
last days of August were rather given over to amuse-
ments, concerts and such-like ; but all frivolity came to
a sudden full-stop, and we found ourselves plunged into
hard work, When they began to evacuate the hospitals
before the attack, we had as much as we could do,
and when the General sent orders that two big cars
wera to go down to V at once to evacuate the

34 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

trains there, the case was getting pretty desperate, as
we were already understaffed, six drivers being home
on leave owing to sickness and other reasons. The

first two drivers to do the V run were Clayton and

Wood, and I consider the work they did was a really
splendid achievement for any driver, and wonderful
for a woman. They started their day by getting up at
5 a.m. and working all day at the Hospitals round here,
and at 8 p.m. the same evening the order came that

three cars were to leave at io p.m. that night for V

to unload the train there. Wood and Clayton were as
game as possible when told they were chosen to go, and
in spite of the fact that they had been working hard
since 5 a.m., they left at 10 p.m., arriving at their
destination at 1.15 a.m. next morning, starting to
unload the train at once ; they did not get off their
cars till 10.30 a.m., at which time they had some
coffee and rested for about twenty minutes, after
which they got on their cars and drove back here,
arriving in the garage at 2 p.m., having been driving
about thirty-six hours, some of the time in pitch
darkness ; it was very nice to see how light they both
made of what was a really splendid and plucky piece of
work. ' '

Monseigneur de Wachter, the Vicar-General of
Malines, and representative in London of his Eminence
Cardinal Mercier, Archbishop of Malines, visited
Folkestone and paid a remarkable tribute to the town's
activities and generosity. He expressed the sentiment
of his country and brought a message of appreciation
from His Majesty King Albert. The Vicar-General said
" they recognised in Belgium the wonderful kindness
of the ladies and gentlemen of Folkestone to his poor

OUR BELGIAN GUESTS. 35

countrymen. They had received them with glowing
hospitality, with such motherly feelings, that at once
their tears were dried and they felt they had found a
new home here after having lost their own. He hoped
that the name of Folkestone would be inscribed one day
in letters of gold on a monument which certainly must
arise in Belgium to commemorate the hospitality of
England towards them, and that the generations to
come — the children of those who were there and their
grandchildren in the future Belgium — must remember
how Folkestone had been the first town in England to
receive them and to lodge them and to give them to eat
and to drink whatever they wanted. Folkestone
had earned the admiration not only of the Belgians,
but also of the whole world : yes, the whole civiliesd
world knew how the town of Folkestone had received
them with such cordiality which would never be
forgotten."

Whatever the future may have in store for Folkestone
there will be one chapter in her history of which
Folkestonians may always be justly proud. It is the
chapter now concluding — the story of generous
assistance given to Belgium in her supreme hour of
necessity, when the outlook was very dark and difficult,
but in which Belgium and England were confident of
the righteousness of their cause and of their ultimate
victory.

CHAPTER III.

THE CALL TO THE COLOURS.

By Lieut.-Colonel A. Atkinson, Captain W. R.
Fairbairn, and G. W. Haines.

Visitors to Folkestone found pleasure in a jolly sail
listening to the boatman's yarn. The more ad-
venturous went for a night's fishing in a trawler.
The true fisherman, like Peter Pan, never grows up.
He keeps the child heart and love of adventure.
The first to be warned for active service were the
men of the Royal Naval Reserve. They left their
baiting and their pleasure craft and journeyed with
pride to the fighting fleet.

Folkestone fisher boys wanted to give their comrades
a musical send-off, but the band was not permitted
to parade. The young men went away almost un-
noticed, while the old fellows reluctantly stayed at
home.

The protection of the Channel was a mighty task.
The Germans were poor sailors, but very good engineers.
They thought to destroy England by sowing mines
and sending out submarines. Our men went fishing
for the mines and trapping the submarines. In both
tasks they were successful. To understand the
magnitude of the undertaking it is necessary to
remember that the area of the North Sea is greater
than Germany, and in the North Sea alone Britain
had 1,700 ships of various sorts and 25,000 men
detailed for mine sweeping.

THE CALL TO THE COLOURS. 37

Often mines were laid to drive trading vessels into
a course where submarines could ply their murderous
traffic with comparative safety. The Channel, with
its bottle-neck, offered special facilities for mines
and kept our brave fellows continually on the watch.
Mines are of many kinds, but sea monsters ' ' with all
manner of horns and humps." Some rise to the
surface long after they have been hidden out of sight.
Some float at random and others are anchored, but
drift away.

The trawlers sweep in pairs. It is a monotonous
business, full of peril. Here is a description of the
process by one who took part in it. "A deck-hand
came up the ladder and handed out two pneumatic
lifebelts. The Captain silently passed one to me.
After we had fastened them securely he glanced at
the chart and compass ; then he gave a command,
which was flashed to the other boat. Thus the first
preparation was made for the fishing. The other
boat drew easily alongside. There was a clanking
of machinery as she made off again, carrying one end
of a heavy steel cable. Several hundred yards away
she resumed her course while the cable sagged far
down beneath the surface of the water. That was
all ; we were sweeping. It was late in the afternoon
when we made a catch. A sudden tightening of the
cable made it clear that we had hit an obstruction.
There was just a slight tremor all through the boat.
Everybody stepped to the rail and gazed intently
into the water. 'That'll be one,' said the skipper
as the cable relaxed. Sure enough, it was one. The
Boche mine broke the surface of the water and floated
free ; her moorings of one inch steel cut off as cleanly

345608

38 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

as if with a mighty pair of shears. As it rolled
lazily in the swell it reminded me of a great black
turtle with spikes on its back. ' ' That is the normal
procedure. Rifle bullets do the rest. When they
hit there is an explosion that makes the teeth rattle,
while a great cloud of black smoke rises into the still
air, and a shining column of water shoots straight
up to a height of fifty or sixty feet.

Such explosions were frequently heard from the
Leas, and we knew that our brave fellows were doing
their work. The tremor of the earth seemed to
shake the whole town. The thrill of excitement
will not be forgotten by those who watched in safety,
but what anxiety it meant for mothers and wives
whose loved ones were out there playing the hero's
part. When they came home they had little to say
about their exploits. Any reference to their bravery
covered them with blushes. They just carried on,
and kept our home safe.

The mobilization of the local Territorials is described
by Colonel Atkinson. .......

During the week preceding 4th August, 1914, I
do not think any Territorial was oblivious to the
fact that he was about to be put to the test.

It was one thing for the professional soldier, who
had made arms his career, to be ordered off into the
unknown. It was quite another for the civilian, who
had been trying to fit himself for the defence of his
country.

And yet for five years at least particular attention
had been paid to mobilization by the local Territorial
Force. Annual trainings, staff tours for officers and
n.c.o.'s, lectures, and school courses were all directed
to that end.

THE CALL TO THE COLOURS. 39

Orders were written and re-written in the light of
experience and trials. When War broke out there
was, at any rate for the writer's unit, a complete
set of indexed and comprehensive Orders, from which
nothing seemed to be omitted. Indeed, officers,
n.c.o.'s and men were detailed therein by name for
specific duties.

The local Territorial troops were engaged in a new
experiment during July, 1914. For the first time a
Division of all Arms was being moved by road from
Aldershot to Salisbury Plain, bivouacking en route
under Active Service conditions. This march was
most successfully performed. However, on arrival
at Amesbury, it was manifest that great movements
were in operation.

We were at once caught in the rising tide of War,
and to many the memory of that August Sunday,
Monday and Tuesday is a nightmare. With scores
of thousands of men, horses, guns and vehicles ordered
away from the Plain, delays were inevitable, but it was
marvellous how quickly the thing got done in spite
of all roads being choked with traffic for miles around
the stations.

Some of our men had marched over 20 miles on
Bank Holiday with full kit, and food and sleep were
for most of them impossible.

Tuesday evening, August 4th, saw the local Company
of Buffs back at their Drill Hall, and they had just
been dismissed when the Officer Commanding received
a telegram to keep the men at the Drill Hall all night.
He was thankful that telegram arrived two minutes
too late.

On Wednesday, August 5th, the fateful telegram

40 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

of one word — "Mobilize" — was received by the
writer at 7.30 a.m. It had been despatched from
Canterbury at 6.17 a.m.

This entailed a written message from me, as the
responsible Officer, to the Borough Engineer to give
the pre-arranged signal.

Twelve maroons were fired, according to plan, and
in addition every man received his calling up by special
messenger.

We had made sure, and in an hour the medical
examinations and other details were in progress.
By the early afternoon, every officer or man was in
his appointed place at his War Station in Dover.

But what of the town of Folkestone ? Hearing
those maroons, there were many visitors and others
who promptly fled to the railway stations, some of
them very scantily clad. Certain London evening
papers announced : — ' ' Bombardment of Folkestone by
the Enemy — Flight of Inhabitants !"

A local newspaper complained about it and said
that a signal should have been arranged ' ' that would
not have alarmed anybody ! ' ' Well, of course, we
ought to have wakened our tired men with sprays of
rose water.

Folkestone had indeed much to learn and a long
way to go after this. Some of us had been thinking
for a long time that Folkestone wanted rousing. On
an occasion a little time before the War, when we were
making a very special appeal for 40 recruits, we got one,
at most two, boys, whose hearts were better than
their physique.

If there was one thing more than another which
exasperated the Territorial in the early days of the

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Photo' [Halksworth Wheeler.

Local Buffs (T) Off to War.

Photo] [Holksirorth Wheeler.

Territorial Buffs — With Ammunition Carts.

THE CALL TO THE COLOURS. 41

War it was reading in the newspapers about the
Sanctity of the Season, "Business as usual," and
being made the subject of "Enthusiastic Scenes,"
these last being composed largely of young men who
ought to have been in our ranks, but who preferred
to wear and wave flags.

Our little handful of infantry, 3 officers and 76 other
ranks, at all events, was ready.

The same applied to the Territorial Artillery and
R.A.M.C.

Did our mobilization plans work out well ? They
did.

Horses and civilian transport were speedily got in
by the party of Folkestone men detailed for that job,
and many a farmer and another learned that day that
the previous earmarking of his horse or waggon had
not been, as some thought, part of a foolish amusement
for amateur soldiers.

Ammunition, working tools, harness and the hundred
and one details were assembled, and that night
trench digging on the outpost line began in earnest on
the very spots where for years we had played at the
game with sticks, string and tape. Also, grim reality !
our swords and bayonets were sharpened.

Accommodation was provided in empty barracks.
Literally empty, and provided with floors of surprising
hardness for sleeping on. The fatigues of digging,
however, softened the floors for the tired men.

When the local Buffs were relieved by the slower
mobilizing 3rd Line (Special Reserve) they went to
Canterbury to commence the six months' training
promised by Lord Haldane.

In less than a fortnight a staff officer came to our

42 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

headquarters very late one night, with the result that
next morning on parade the Battalion was asked, nay,
required, by our Commanding Officer, Lieut. -Col.
Gosling, to volunteer for service in France.

Now, this was a searching thing for men whose
conditions of service were for home defence, especially
for those who had left wives and children, to say nothing
of businesses, at the bidding of a telegram.

There were no Tribunals in those days.

The Battalion volunteered because we knew that,
apart from our splendid Navy, one trench in France
was of more use to our country than a hundred trenches
in England. For the next few weeks our Battalion's
history was chequered and arduous, for these were
days in which so much had to be improvised. Our
ranks, however, were soon filled by a good class of
volunteer.

After expecting to cross the Channel orders were
received late in October to proceed to India, and the
Battalion left Thanet on 29th October, 1914.

Meanwhile, the second line was growing. The
humours of recruiting, before compulsory methods
came into force, were., perhaps, nowhere better
illustrated than at the Head Quarters at Canterbury
of our local Infantry Battalion.

I had the honour of receiving and starting on their
careers a vast number of recruits.

The British public got a taste of what billeting
means. This was generally an unpleasant matter
for all concerned. Many a house whose accommoda-
tion we had gently enquired about in peace time had
now to experience the real thing. Territorials during
the early days soon fell very foul of beautiful young

THE CALL TO THE COLOURS. 43

men on the Golf Courses, especially when a Company
of ours got billeted in a Golf Club House in Thanet.

This chapter, however, cannot enter into details
other than of local interest. The distinct existence
of Territorials, as such, was soon indistinguishable
from that of the Imperial and New Armies.

Suffice it to say, therefore, that soon after mobiliza-
tion Folkestone produced a very good number of
volunteers before the introduction of the Military
Service Acts. After compulsory service became law,
there was no falling off in quantity or quality, and
as to the deeds, lives, and deaths of many a good
man, have they not been written from week to week
in our local Press ? ' ' And some there be which
have no memorial — who are perished as though they
had never been — but .... their glory shall
not be blotted out. Their bodies are buried in peace ;
but their name liveth for evermore."

Many of the Buffs under Colonel Gosling went to
India and saw active service in the frontier fighting.
They conducted themselves with great credit at Aden,
and many are the stories of individual bravery. In
a long and arduous campaign, very little noticed in
the Press, there were many tests of the quality of
the men. Their powers of endurance in long marches
and gorilla fighting were strained to the utmost.
Folkestone is proud of her sons, and the name of the
Buffs has become a synonym for courage and high
qualities.

Other Companies were detailed for coastal work.
Major J. G. Welch and his men went to Dover and
became the Training Corps, passing on large numbers of
gunners to France. Captain Nicholls was with the

44 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

gunners in the West of England until he went over
to the Western Front, where his bravery upon more
than one memorable occasion gained him distinction.
The 2nd and 3rd Home Counties Brigade of the
Territorial R.F.A. left the town in full strength with
Major W. B. Kennett in command. Captain S. Lambert
Weston and Lieuts. Wise, Loyd, and Boyd were
with their men ; they had important duty on coast
defence.

It is a pleasure to add Captain Fairbairn's account
of Aden.

It was on the 29th October, 1914, when about 180
n.c.o.'s and men from Folkestone, forming part of
the i/4th Battalion the Buffs, embarked on H.M.
Transport Dongola for India.

Disappointed at their not having been sent direct
to France, but satisfied with the assurance of Lord
Kitchener that the time was not far distant when
they would enter one or other of the areas of hostilities,
they settled down with a determination to fit them-
selves perfectly for any ordeal which might come
their way.

The transport was one of 12 huge ships which
carried the first Home Counties Division to the best
military training centre in the world. Escorted to
Suez by warships, both French and British, the
troops had much to occupy their mind when once the
horrors of the Bay of Biscay and the prostration of
"mal de mer" had been overcome, though not a
few failed to appreciate the ' ' benefits ' ' of inoculation
which was carried out on board.

From Port Said to Suez, and on to Bombay, the

THE CALL TO THE COLOURS. 45

voyage had nothing but charms, and when on the
1st December the battalion disembarked at Bombay
for Mhow every man was absolutely fit.

Territorial troops were new to India, and after the
somewhat wearisome travelling in the Indian troop
trains, all ranks appreciated their first halt. It was
at Baroda, where the Maharajah of Baroda had laid
himself out to entertain all British units passing
through his province, that the men of Kent first
made the acquaintance of the proverbial "Indian
Stew."

On the 3rd December the Battalion detrained at
Mhow. Dawn had only just broken, when the
Battalion, formed up in mass, was received by the
G.O.C. 5th Division, under whose command they were
to be stationed. Clad in western clothing with the ex-
ception of their topis, they marched through the
streets of Mhow, being subjected to the careful and
critical scrutiny of the entire native population. The
fears of the Indian Councils that Territorial Troops
would lack the soldierly bearing of those of the
Regular Army whom they had come to replace
were soon dispelled, for they soon discovered that
the men who were to help in the governing of the
country, to continue training, were soldiers as to the
manner born.

Barely had the Buffs been issued with their
khaki drill than they settled down to as severe a test
of training as it was possible for British Troops to
receive. "Kitchener's Test" it was termed, and
the fact that soldiers from home were to experience
the trials of climate and work which had always been
found difficult by regular troops did not dismay the

46 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

Kentish boys. It was the one ambition of the entire
Battalion to be the first to pass the critical examination
of the G.O.C. and be pronounced the Battalion first
fit to take its place in action in the Eastern Spheres.

Before six months had expired Colonel Gosling
was the proud possessor of the certificate of the G.O.C.
that the unit had qualified and had attained its
goal. It had meant months of a severe form of
physical and technical training, in which every rank
was exercised to its full. Spare time had to be occupied
by sport, and the Battalion Football Team was making
a reputation at Calcutta, where on the Maidan it was
engaged in a knock-out competition with teams from
all over India.

While enjoying a short respite from training and
hard work, the troops in Wellesley Barracks were one
day electrified with excitement by reason of an
intimation that they were about to proceed on active
service. There were stories of an Afghan rising, of
a great defeat in Mesopotamia, of an over-running
in Egypt by the Turks, in fact, there were so many
rumours that nobody out of official circles had the
faintest idea where the Battalion was going to open
its career. Then came the news ! A Welsh Battalion
had undergone such hardships in the Aden-Hinter-
land that relief was wanted immediately, and the
1 /4th Battalion had been selected for the purpose.
Aden ! ! The very name was sufficient to damp the
enthusiasm of the most ardent soldier.

When it had become known that the Welshmen
had suffered tortures of mind and body due to a
shortage of acquaintance with equatorial conditions,
and the trials of heat and thirst, one would have

THE CALL TO THE COLOURS. 47

imagined that territorial troops, however keen, would
have shown some diffidence for the undertaking upon
which they were to embark ; but it was not so. The
Monsoon weather was breaking — it was the end of
June, 1915 — when, equipped to the last man, the
Battalion was inspected by the G.O.C., 5th Division,
congratulated on its apparent soldierly bearing and
efficiency, and advised that it was its duty to main-
tain the reputation that the Buffs of yore had
made and earned.

That same night, without beat of drum, the Battalion
left the parade ground. There were no words of
command, for active service conditions had begun,
and, silent as the night, they wended their way to
Mhow Station. There all the European population,
and, for the matter of that, nearly every native in
cantonment, had congregated. A quick entraining,
hasty farewells, and the Buffs were "en route"
to Bombay. In record time, guns, rifles, ammunition,
stores and men were aboard, and the Monsoon appeared
to break with extraordinary violence as the transport
steamed out of harbour.

For five days and nights all the horrors of sea-
sickness such as are only met with in the Indian Ocean
damped the ardour of all ranks, and when the natives
refused to work in the stokehol owing to sea-sickness
volunteers from the Folkestone-Boulogne service
filled the gaps.

Eventually the storm was weathered, and, none
the worse for their journey, the troops leaned over
the side and gazed first at the barren rocks of Aden
itself, and then with considerable apprehensions at
the Arabian Desert beyond. This latter, one great

48 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

expanse of sand, devoid of cultivation and water, was
to be the scene of their future. On it they were to
live and fight with a determination that the Turk
should never wrest from the British Government
that great rock of Aden holding the command of the
southern entrance to the Red Sea.

Whilst awaiting disembarkation, came through the
orders for immediate action. It was reported that
in Aden itself there were thousands of Arabs who first
had to be controlled, and whilst half the Battalion
would be responsible for that duty, the other half
would proceed to the desert. When it is realised
that this small Battalion of 800 men, with the addition
of a Battery of the H.A.C. and Fortress Company of
R.G.A., were practically the only white troops in
the area, the responsibility of the duty to be performed
will be apparent. With the utmost despatch the Buffs
disembarked and took over from the Welshmen their
new duties.

It appeared that the Sultan of Lahej, who had been
loyal to the Crown, had been killed in his own city
and grounds after being betrayed by his own native
troops. These latter had been equipped and partially
trained by British officials, but when the Turks
descended upon Aden they were aided in their exploits
by a relative of the Sultan himself. Jealousy and
greed for power and authority had prompted this
relative to co-operate with the Turks as against the
Sultan, with the result that the British Forces within
the Aden Protectorate had to fall back to the Isthmus
which adjoins Aden to the mainland. This had proved
an expensive operation, and many Welshmen and
others paid the toll, and their remains are covered

w
ex

o

K

THE CALL TO THE COLOURS. 49

in the sand dunes of the Arabian Desert. Eventually
a composite force of native troops was formed, and
these, with the Buffs as their backing, advanced
to Sheik Othman at the Arabian end of the Isthmus
and entrenched.

It so happened that the portion of the line allotted
to the Men of Kent was in a garden full of wells and
infested with mosquitoes of the malaria-carrying
type, a circumstance which did untold harm to the
health of the men.

At first there were occasional sorties with the Turks,
during which the Buffs received their baptism
of fire. It was grand to watch these boys — for most
of them were boys — as they laughed and joked about
the erratic shooting of the Turk. They proved their
worth and gave every evidence that when the supreme
task did come they were men fitted for the job.

On the 25th September came one of the most trying
and arduous days that British troops could ever have
experienced. Ten miles away was a village called
Waht. The Brigade Staff Orders were that a
reconnaisance in force was to be carried out with the
object of ascertaining whether Waht was adaptable
to the requirements of Headquarters. It was to be
held till the following nightfall and evacuated early in
the succeeding morning.

Three hours before dawn of the morning of the
25th the Battalion moved to this place in the line of
march with artillerymen and natives forming part
of their Company. The Aden Camel Corps and the
Bengal Cavalry had been watching and scouting
during the night, and the advance was now to be made
in earnest. By daybreak the Battalion had deployed,

50 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

and it was not long before they were under the fire
of the Turk Artillery. There were no casualties of any
importance, and all went well till the heat of day
began to exert itself. At 9 o'clock the advance was
continued and the terrors of a burning desert without
shade or water other than that carried in water bottles
began to tell on the troops. The advance, however,
was maintained at a rapid rate, and the Turks and
Arabs were forced to vacate the village of Waht. At
a short distance behind the lines, however, they had
reserve trenches, and into these they scuttled as
the Buffs with their bayonets charged them through
the village.

The object attained, the Buffs occupied the
Waht defences, and only those men who laid out on the
filthy insanitary dunes could ever explain the horrible
stench and filthiness of the conditions under which
the enemy had lived in Waht.

The sun was at its height when the infantrymen,
sheltering from the Turks' artillery — and they were
not bad gunners — could not understand why our own
artillerymen were not responding to the Turks' salvoes.
It was imagined they had gone to a flank in order to
catch the enemy in enfilade, but a little later on a
grim reality presented itself, for to hand came the
news that the 5m. gunwheels had sunk into the sand,
making it impossible for the artillerymen to bring
the guns up. The wily Turk had ascertained this
fact, and he began a counter attack in real earnest.
And all this while in a shade temperature of 130
degrees ! The Buffs had waited in expectancy,
and suffering from heat and the strenuous advance
with very little food, they were not surprised when

THE CALL TO THE COLOURS. 51

the order came that they were to retire to their trenches.
This was for them the worst of all, for it had not been
anticipated that a withdrawal would be necessary,
or that the anguish of returning knee-deep in sand
over those many miles of desert would have to be
accomplished on the same day.

The retirement began under cover of native troops,
but it was pitiful to see some of the flower of the
regiment fall victims to sunstroke and die. Nor
were they alone in this, for great powerful machine
gunners of the Australian Navy, a detachment which
had been landed to assist, suffered similarly. Natives
and white men alike shared water bottles and bore
each other's burdens, and in those miles of retirement
some heroic deeds of self-sacrifice and devotion
were performed.

The Bengal Cavalry, realising the immensity of the
task allotted to the Battalion, brought their horses
as far as possible to meet the retiring troops, who,
when behind their own lines, took life easy and rode
behind their native comrades.

It was a sad camp the next morning, and the writer
will never forget how he commanded a firing party
which at mid-day lined the graves dug by Arabs
on a stretch of desert behind Sheik Othman, and
gave a final salute to those men who had struggled
so gallantly the previous day.

On subsequent days volunteers from the Battalion
turned those rough dune graves into what eventually
became a little garrison churchyard, and where now
suitable stones are erected.

Beyond occasional surprises, generally without
result, the Turk did not worry the little force for

52 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

some time, but with the malaria-infested garden
the Buffs held their line until the numbers were
so reduced by malaria that they had to return behind
their line to Aden itself. A relief was, however, soon
made up from the other half of the Battalion, and in
the meantime more duties were carried out all over
Aden, necessitating in many instances men being on
guard for fourteen or fifteen days and nights at a time.

Christmas of 1915 was spent in the line. Once
or twice the Turk threatened to do things, but in-
variably he changed his mind and thought twice.

January, 1916, brought about somewhat cooler
weather, and the condition of the troops in the desert
trenches were made somewhat happier, but they
were not sorry when at the end of the month intimation
came that the Battalion had more than completed
the allotted span of a soldier's service in Aden climate,
and a Battalion would soon arrive in relief. This
meant a return to India, and a further preparation for
more active service in another Eastern Sphere. Before
February had commenced the Men of Kent had been
relieved by the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
and proceeded to Bareilly.

A short turn of leave and a sojourn in the Himalayan
Hills became the next treat, and then by drafts
of 100 and more the i/4th Battalion began to furnish
drafts for Mesopotamia. As fast as one party went
away another would arrive from England, and the
latter on their arrival would read with proud pleasure
the valedictory message of the G.O.C., Aden Field
Forces, which paid tribute in sterling terms to the
powers of endurance and devotion to duty of the
Men of Kent under his command.

THE CALL TO THE COLOURS. 53

In November, 1914, the Folkestone Volunteer Corps
was inaugurated at a preliminary meeting in the
Town Hall. Those taking part included Colonel G.
Power, F. Scarborough, A. R. Bowles, Henry Brooke,
and G. W. Haines. Colonel Owen was appointed
Military Adviser and G. W. Haines Honorary Secretary.
With Major H. R. J. Willis they were appointed an
Executive Committee. Major Willis was afterwards
commissioned Officer Commanding.

At a special parade at the Drill Hall 350 people
attended, marshalled by Sergeant-Ma j or Vickery, R.E.
The work of the Volunteer Training Corps was explained
by the Honorary Secretary. Rules were formulated
and a number of men enrolled. The Corps was
established under the title of the Folkestone Volunteer
Training Corps and became affiliated to the Central
Association of Volunteer Training Corps. Drills were
commenced and held two nights per week. Officers
were appointed and subsequently confirmed by Lord
Harris, Commandant of the County Organization.
The Platoon Commanders were A. R. Bowles, E. D.
Fitzgerald, Edward P. W. Foster, C.M.G., F. S. Upton,
G. W. Haines.

At the beginning of 1915 the normal roll showed a
strength of 239 men over 38 years of age, and 77 under
38. The Company on parade resolved that the
members were in accord with the principle of organiza-
tion with County Units, and a resolution was passed
that the Corps make application to be included in the
County Association and become affiliated with the
Kent Volunteer Fencibles, and form "E" Company
of the 1st Cinque Ports Battalion.

The organization coming under the head of a trained

54 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

band or body raised by consent of the Lord Lieutenant,
it was not subject to the discipline of the Army or
Volunteer Acts. The War Office desired before giving
official recognition or assistance that members should
attest under the Volunteer Act, 1863, which they did.

In September, 1915, the Battalion was inspected by
the Commandant at Dover, when over 800 men from the
locality paraded, and the brass band of " E " Folkestone
Company played. Brigadier-General W. Tylden was
appointed to the command and subsequently to the
command of the 1st Battalion under its new title,
the East Kent Regiment, with its regimental name
of the Buffs.

Under the Volunteer Acts members were entitled
to resign on giving fourteen days' notice. The War
Office desired to maintain the Force on a war footing,
and a special Act was passed to enable members to enter
into agreements of service for the period of the War.
Slowly the Force transferred itself to these conditions.

Volunteer commissions were granted to the officers,
but such appointments were limited in number.
Platoon Commander Upton resigned and Sergeant
H. J. Lewes was appointed in his place. Major
Willis was gazetted Captain. The work he did in
connection with the Corps has hardly received
recognition. He carried out his duties in the true
soldier-like spirit, not seeking publicity or reward,
but just doing as he was commanded.

Platoon Commanders Bowles and Fitzgerald became
Lieutenants ; Foster and Lewes Second Lieutenants ;
G. W. Haines had the rank of Company-Quarter-
Master-Sergeant. There was a slow drain on the
Corps, many men volunteering for foreign service.
The depletion was made up by those who were from

THE CALL TO THE COLOURS. 55

1916 ordered to join the Corps by the military tribunals.

Gradually the Force, save for some fifty of its
original members, nearly all over fighting age, lost
the character of a Volunteer Corps and came under
compulsory conditions. The general effect was to
encourage the military spirit, and ultimately many
of the men found their way into the fighting line.
Between five and six hundred men were trained, and
undertook various kinds of work. The Company
was responsible for certain trenching operations,
guarding of railways and line of communications,
beside acting as guards for search-lights and anti-
aircraft guns.

Members were handicapped at the beginning,
having to find their own uniforms, drilling with
wooden rifles, and being subject to some amount of
ridicule from those not so earnest as themselves, but
the War Office subsequently armed the Force, so that
in 1918 they were equipped with a rifle, bayonet, steel
helmet, gas mask, trenching tools and every necessity.

In November, 1916, the rank and file mustered 359
strong ; September, 1917, 254. The Battalion was
inspected in 191 6 by Sir Francis Lloyd, in the absence
of General French. In 1915 there were 294 parades,
with total attendances of 17,528.

The Company met their own expenses, and con-
structed an open-air rifle range and miniature ranges.
When the Drill Hall was commandeered by the Military
for a Rest Camp, "E" Co. paraded in the streets
or fields in all weathers. The Company stood by
more than once for mobilization during the crises of
the War, and were under arms at the very time of
the Armistice. They fulfilled expectations and did
very useful work.

CHAPTER IV.

SHAPING THE NEW ARMY.
By the Editor and Lieut. -Col. E. M. Liddell.

By the end of September, 1914, nearly 20,000
recruits were on the Camp. Shorncliffe had lost its
calm ; visitors no longer went up to St. Martin's Plain
for a quiet stroll, as in the old days of Peace. They
went to watch the hustle of Camp life in War-time.

The boys represented all classes of the community,
from bank clerks and college students to farm labourers
and London street-hawkers. The response to the call
for volunteers was so great that the Military Authori-
ties did not know what to do with the men. It was
estimated before the War that England had 12,000,000
men of military age, of whom 4,000,000 would be
needed for essential trades and 4,000,000 would be
physically unfit, or required at home for compassionate
reasons. It will always be a matter of honest pride
that 3,500,000 men voluntarily enlisted.

The New Army took its drills wherever there were
suitable spaces. In Radnor Park the soldiers in the
making were watched by wondering children and
admiring servant maids. On the Leas they took
gunnery instruction before they possessed guns,
or even uniforms. They carried on with their
training, and greatly enjoyed it.

Lord Kitchener, who had a residence at Broome
Park, managed to come and go unobserved by the
general public. K. of K. loved to mingle with the boys,

Earl Kitchener, Miss Harrold (Manor
Court Hospital) and Major Reason.

(This photo, taken at Broome Park, was perhaps
the last taken of Lord Kitchener. It is
published by kind permission of Miss Harrold),

Photo] [George Sands.

Lieut. -Col. the Earl of Radnor
(Lord of the Manor).

Major Sir Philip Sassoon, C. M.G., M.P.

SHAPING THE NEW ARMY. 57

watching their progress, nodding approval, and speak-
ing words of counsel. Many a lad has among his most
cherished memories a sentence from the lips of the
great soldier. When the news leaked out that
Kitchener was coming crowds of visitors assembled to
get a view of the creator of the New Army. Kitchener's
aversion to publicity sometimes led to disappointment.
He was most at his ease when entertaining a company
of convalescent boys in his own beautiful grounds at
Broome Park. His last photograph was a snapshot
in which he is seen with Nurse Harrold, of Manor Court
Hospital, and a batch of her patients.

Great amusement was created by the bathing
exercises. The boys came down to the beach in
swarms, for a dip in the briny, or to roll in the surf.
Folkestone beach presented the appearance of
Blackpool or Coney Island. Bathing regulations were
very stringent, but they were more honoured in the
breach than in the observance. It was good to see the
fellows in their fun capering about in the water, like
little children in their glee. Boats were in great
demand for diving. The sea was, as ever, a great
attraction to adventurous Britons.

The accommodation on the Camp was inadequate
to meet the demand ; large numbers of men were
billeted all over the area. Town mansions, private
hotels, and cottages were packed with men. No
visitors were more welcome, and on the whole none
behaved more honourably. Praise of the men was
heard on every side ; poor people whose homes were
filled with the strange guests told how the boys often
helped Mother to wash-up and made their own beds ;
they played with the kiddies, and won the hearts of

58 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

the girls. Soon after, in the terrible days in Flanders,
they showed their quality in many a hard fight ;
but in their training they were soft-hearted as boys at
home.

In early morning squads would march down to the
Leas and begin the monotonous task of forming fours.
They were in civilian attire ; an odd lot they were :
boys in corduroy, and "knuts" who had taken the
"spats" from their boots and put them in their
pockets to avoid the banter of their new comrades.
The old sergeant, usually a tough customer, shouted
out the most elementary instruction. Upon one
occasion, after the roll had been called, he yelled :
' ' Is there anybody absent who hasn't answered to h.is
name ? ' ' and looked surprised at the hilarity caused
by the question. But the sergeant always got his own
back. He ordered the men to double, and then to
charge on the run. It was ciirious to see the fellows
without gun or even walking-stick going through the
drill of lifting the rifle into position, sighting, and firing
on command.

On the Camp, huts were being erected as fast as
contractors could get men for the work. Cook-
houses were designed, but not constructed, and all the
domestic duties were executed in the open, greatly
to the amusement of the boys and the visitors. The
tents in which many men slept on the Camp were often
blown down, and in the storm flooded out. The
adventures were humorous to the onlooker, but not to
the men who found their clothes wet through, and no
opportunity to dry them, except upon their backs.

Regiments came in quick succession, and went over
almost as soon as they received their uniforms, and

SHAPING THE NEW ARMY. 59

sometimes before they obtained their full equipment
of weapons. The Northern burr and the Irish brogue
were common in the streets, and the bagpipes resounded
over the hills. The 3rd Hussars, 1st Batt. Royal
Irish Fusiliers, 2nd Batt. Seaforth Highlanders, and
1st Royal Warwickshire Regiment were in the Camp
at the outbreak of war. Regimental sports, held a
week before their departure, attracted great crowds ;
like Drake, they played their game before they went
out to fight the foe. Alas ! that so few of those fine
fellows were fated to return.

When an Oxford regiment was on the Camp
Bishop Gore made a special visit, and preached a
memorable sermon. General Ian Hamilton, who after-
wards was in command of the Dardenelles adventure,
read the lessons. It was a striking service ; the men
lined up facing the drums ; their fine physique, clear
eyes, and open countenances, the flower of English
manhood, could not fail to make an impression upon
the crowd of visitors, among whom were many fathers
and mothers, watching with fond pride their loved
ones, many of whose bodies now rest in Flanders.

No wonder the Bishop's voice thrilled with emotion,
as he told of the higher duty they had undertaken, and
wished the men Godspeed in their great enterprise.
They stood as the descendants of the men who, long
ago, went forth to the Crusades at the call of religion.
They would fight the more righteous cause and would
do their duty in the spirit of their sires. It was a true
prophecy ; the Oxfords fought with their backs to
the wall, and died nobly.

The presence of the New Army had a stimulating
effect upon local recruiting. The travelling bureau

60 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

visited the town in September. Open-air meetings
were held. Major-General Spens and Mr. Shirley
Benn, M.P., had the assistance of members of the Town
Council and other local speakers. Among the most
successful of the patriotic gatherings was that at the
Town Hall, when Mrs. Pankhurst made her appearance,
not as a militant suffragette, but as a whole-hearted
advocate of the War. Sir Philip Sassoon made a
strong appeal for the East Kent Yeomanry, in which he
was serving. A number of men responded and joined
the Borough Member in active service.

Among the visitors to the town were many distin-
guished men. Mr. Asquith, then staying at Lympne
Castle for the week-end, frequently found his way over
to the Camp and down to the Harbour. He was greatly
interested in the rapidly changing character of
Folkestone, owing to the war activities.

Mr. Lloyd George came to Beachborough and to the
Leas, but not, as in the old days, to the golf links.
Those who knew him saw only too plainly the effects
of the strain of War on his mood. The old light-
hearted spirit and gaiety of movement had given place
to a gravity that became a burden. When, in those
days, Lloyd George referred to the War, it was with
assurance of the justice of our cause, but with some-
thing like irritation at the slow pace of the preparations
for what he was convinced would be a long and terrible
struggle. Upon one occasion, when the Prime
Minister was outside the Pavilion Hotel, with a friend,
one of the boys passing said : " Is that Lloyd George? ' '
and being told it was, put out his hand. ' ' I'd like to
shake hands with you, sir," he said. Lloyd George
readily responded, and talked to the man for a minute

SHAPING THE NEW ARMY. 6 1

or so before he passed on. On the Harbour the
soldier was a bit of a hero, but not quite sure of the
honour. Haltingly, he said : " I thought a wonderful
lot of him, but he's only like one of ourselves.

Women's organizations, engaging in war work, were
pioneered by Lady Jane Carleton, who turned out a
smart company in Folkestone, taking their instruction
at the Drill Hall, and preparing to render service at
the Camps.

When the W.A.A.C.'S came to the town the Hotel
Metropole was taken over for their Headquarters. It
was a great loss to the town that the chief hotel should
be closed to visitors, but the women deserved our best,
and they had it. Seven thousand women proceeded
overseas from the Metropole. Recruits were trained
in about three weeks to a month ; they were drilled
on the Front, and were not one whit behind the men in
smartness of movement. They were inoculated
and vaccinated, and sent to France at the rate of
approximately 200 a week. They undertook work as
cooks, waitresses, clerks, mechanics, and motorists.
A company, hearing that the soldiers' graves were un-
tended, volunteered to go out to care for the resting-
places of our fallen heroes ; and through the years
they have been making the graveyards beautiful.

During the air raids the women were brought down
to the lower hall, and provided concerts for their own
entertainment. There were no casualties ; no panic.
In the dark days the hotel was evacuated in 24 hours,
in order to provide for women from overseas who
might be compelled to return under the pressure of the
enemy. Those who were in residence were jubilant
but mystified upon being ordered off on leave. They
never knew the serious reason behind the instruction.

62 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

The First Administrator was Miss Stevenson, who
was followed by Miss Ireland, and afterwards Miss
Carlisle. Miss Jacobs was the Deputy Assistant
Administrator, and the Quartermistresses were
Mesdames Biggar and Tates.

The New Army was very impatient to get to the
front. The men did not then fully appreciate the value
of training. Sometimes their eagerness to get across
led to amusing episodes. A little party of impatient
boys resolved that they would take action. The
authorities were all too slow in getting men to France.
They solemnly laid their plans and under the cover of
night took a pleasure boat from the beach and left
Folkestone at 4 o'clock on a Saturday afternoon. The
little company consisted of four Artillerymen ; un-
fortunately, their names were not recorded. The
owner of the boat, the "Enterprise," was Mr. J.
Skinner. They arrived off Calais about 3 o'clock
on Sunday morning, having been picked up by a French
fishing trawler, and towed into the harbour. They
reported that they were very hungry and tired. The
Calais people heard of the escapade, and the fishermen
turned out to give them a great welcome. They
received many offers of hospitality, and were
embarrassed by the good things brought to them. But,
much to their chagrin, later in the day they were
marched down to the Folkestone boat. Upon their
arrival they were placed in the fishing-boat and pulled
round by the shore to the point from which they
started.

Some eager spirits tried to get across by hiding on the
pier and falling into line with troops going from the
train to the boat. Crowds of men were embarking, and

SHAPING THE NEW ARMY. 63

it was extremely difficult to pick out those who were
not entitled to go on board. However, the inspectors
usually detected the adventurers, and returned them
to camp. CB. was the result. Those who persisted
in their attempts to cross without orders were brought
up before the local magistrates and reprimanded. In
their defence they usually pleaded their anxiety to get
across before the job was finished. The courage of the
men did not justify their disobedience, but it was very
gratifying and typical of the New Army.

The impatience of the recruits occasionally found
expression, as when a company refused to go through
the mimic manoeuvres of taking cover in presence of
an enemy who was not there. The men persisted
that they would never take cover, but fight it out in
the open. They did not then know the German idea
of warfare. When they saw what it was they were
doubtless thankful for the training they had received.

The British Y.M.C.A. soon began its magnificent
work. Tents were used as canteens and recreation
centres. The staff of the Bank of England erected
the first Hut. In its writing-room many thousands
of letters were penned to the loved ones at
home. The work extended and did untold good for
the New Army. The catering developed into an
enormous business : 30,000 cups of tea and coffee
being supplied in a single day. Concerts and
lectures were given by local people. Religious
services were held during the week ; Folkestone
ministers being responsible for the arrangements.
The Chaplaincy service was not in working order ;
two of the Folkestone Churches were without
ministers, and the clergy were hard-pressed, several

64 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

of their men having gone into camp in other districts.
It is worthy of note that parade services and hospital
visitations were not missed.

Sports were arranged on an elaborate scale. It was
amusing to watch the men in their civilian attire
running across-country, in a five-mile race, or
endeavouring to take the high jump in Radnor Park.

Ladies mended garments and gave the human touch
to camp life. From the time of the first Y.M.C.A. in
Folkestone, moved from the Lecture Hall in
Rendezvous Street to the centre of the town, there was
no lack of women workers. The chief organisers
representing the Central body were : Messrs. Tee,
Haines, and Towers, who in turn had responsibility
for the direction of the Y.M.C.A. work for the whole
area. It was a responsible task, efficiently per-
formed. The voluntary helpers counted no task too
menial or exacting that added to the comfort of our
brave men.

The principal Y.M. centre was the Luton Hut, given
by the inhabitants of Luton. It was restaurant, club,
and home to many thousands of men. Additional
huts were provided as the need demanded, and were
greatly appreciated. What the Camp would have been
without the Y.M. it is difficult to conceive.

The success of the local recruiting campaign was
in some measure due to the example of Lord Radnor
and the Borough Member, Sir Phillip Sassoon. Lord
Radnor left England on October 4th, 1914, for India,
in command of the i/4th Wilts Regiment. In May,
1915, he was appointed to command Dehra Dun
Brigade, and in September promoted Brigadier-General.
At the end of 1916 he was given the command of the

Photo] IHalksworth Wheeler.

Recruiting Meeting in Marine Gardens.

Photo] [Halksworth Wheeler

Men of "Kitchener's Army" Bathing.

Photo] [Halksuvrth Wheeled.

New Army Training in Civilian Attire.

Photo] [Halksworth Wheeler.

Kitchener's Men" Drilling at Shorncliffe.

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SHAPING THE NEW ARMY. 65

43rd Infantry Brigade, but relinquished this in 1917,
in order to return to England to obtain a command in
France. In June, 1917, his Lordship took over the
command of the 14th Training Reserve Battalion as
Lieut. -Colonel. This Battalion subsequently became
the 52nd Graduated Battalion, Notts and Derby
Regiment. In January the following year Lord
Radnor was appointed Director of Agricultural
Production, B.E.F., with the rank of Brigadier-
General, which position he held with distinction to
the end of the War.

Captain Viscount Folkestone served throughout
the War with the i/4th Wilts Regiment in India,
Egypt, and Palestine, being severely wounded in the
memorable operations in* front of Jerusalem. Sub-
sequently, from September, 1918, whilst still unfit for
general service, he served as A.D.C. to the G.O.C.
Northern Command until February, 1919.

Sub-Lieutenant the Honorable Edward Pleydell-
Bouverie, R.N., before he was 15 years of age, joined
H.M.S. "Hogue" direct from Dartmouth as midship-
man, and served at sea throughout the War. He
was on tbe "Hogue" when it was torpedoed, but
was amongst those rescued. He was on board H.M.S.
"Orion" at the Battle of Jutland, and afterwards
served on patrol boats in the Channel.

Sir Philip Sassoon was in the East Kent
Yeomanry Territorials at the outbreak of war. He
immediately placed his services at the disposal of the
Empire. A public meeting was held, at which his
constituents enthusiastically declared their satisfaction
at his action, and pledged their support to him in his
absence. Sir Philip went to France in November,

66 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

1914, on General Sir Henry Rawlinson's Staff, and
did useful work in various capacities, becoming
Private Secretary to Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig
on his taking over the command of the British Army
in France and Flanders, December, 1915. The value
of Sir Philip's work is shewn by the fact that he con-
tinued in his office until the end of the War, receiving
high commendation from his chief, who, with the
characteristic of the Scot, was never lavish with his
praise. Sir Philip was mentioned several times in
despatches, and received the thanks of the represen-
tatives of our Allies. The high appreciation in which
he was held is indicated by the honours conferred
upon him. He is the happy possessor of the C.M.G.,
the 1914 Star, the Legion of Honour, presented by
Marshal Joffre, the Black Star, presented by M.
Clemenceau, and the Croix de Guerre, presented by
Marshal Petain. Belgium gave him the Order of the
Crown and the Croix de Guerre.

Sir Philip's work was not an easy task. His office
was a hut in the grounds of the Field-Marshal's Head-
quarters. The correspondence was voluminous, and
the many tasks were often delicate and full of diffi-
culty, requiring the skill of a tactful man, who could
bring to bear upon the questions at issue a cool judg-
ment and a trained intelligence.

Those who remained at home did much to hearten
the men in their preparations for their arduous tasks.
It would be invidious to mention names. The residents
of Folkestone became a committee of entertainment
and hospitality. The principal hotels and the poorest
cottages were opened to the soldiers. Mr. Gelardi
had soldiers billeted at the Grand, and on Sunday

SHAPING THE NEW ARMY. 67

afternoons invited practically any boys who cared
to accept the invitation to tea, the parties often
numbering 250 to 300. When the military left they
presented him with a silver rose bowl, which is among
his most treasured possessions.

Visitors to Folkestone during the War were
impressed by the ugliness of the Rest Camps, par-
ticularly the block of houses enclosed by corrugated
iron in the principal part of the West End. But they
did not know what a boon these camps were to the
men who were crossing to France. The Rest Camp
was for many their last sleeping place on English soil ;
the last bit of ground over which they walked was
from the Leas down the Slope, which now should be
known as Victory Road. Their memories depended
upon the treatment they received during the last
hours in the Rest Camp. We are glad to include the
following particulars supplied by those responsible
for the Military Command of the town : —

Owing to weather conditions, mines, and various
causes, the sailings of the boats with troops from
Folkestone to Boulogne, Calais, etc., had at times,
in the winter frequently, to be cancelled, which meant
accommodating troops in Folkestone for the night
and billeting them in the town. This was possible,
although inconvenient, as long as the numbers were
only small, but, as the capacity of the port and the
numbers for embarkation increased, it was realised
that other means of accommodation must be provided
for the comfort and well-being of the men.

In August, 1915, Colonel R. Burns-Begg was sent
from the War Office to Folkestone to organise a system
of Rest Camps, his great ability as an organiser making

68 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

him especially suitable for the appointment. The
post of Town Commandant, Folkestone, was then
created, the area at first consisting of Folkestone only,
but in 1916 it was enlarged to include Sandgate,
Seabrook, Hythe, Cheriton, and the village of Salt-
wood. In addition, the appointment carried the duty
of Competent Military Authority for Kent, except
the Dover and the Thames and Medway Defence
Areas, and portions of Kent in the London District
Area. Seventy Military Police, of which twelve were
mounted, were attached to the Command. In 1917
the title of Town Commandant was altered to Com-
mandant Folkestone Area.

In 1915 blocks of houses facing the sea, known as
Marine Terrace and Marine Parade, were acquired,
and in January 191 6, No. 1 Rest Camp was opened,
with Major, now Lieut-.Col., H. F. Sparrow as Com-
mandant, and with Major G. C. Grahame as Assistant
Commandant. The Camp was equipped with cook-
houses and all conveniences, and a large Y.M.C.A.
Hut, part of which was given by Mrs. Paul, of 20,
Grimston Gardens. There was sleeping accommodation
in the houses for two thousand two hundred men.

In May, 1916, another Rest Camp was opened in
a big field on the West Cliff Estate, off the Bathurst
Road. This was composed of Indian pattern tents
heated with stoves, and had the usual equipment
and a large Y.M.C.A. Hut, and was called No. 2 Rest
Camp, with a capacity for one thousand men.

It was foreseen that still more accommodation
would have to be provided, and the blocks of houses
on the Leas which include Clifton Crescent, and are
bounded by Earls Avenue on the west, Sandgate Road

SHAPING THE NEW ARMY. 69

on the north, Clifton Road on the east, and the Leas
on the south, were acquired in November, 1916, and
opened early in 1917 as No. 3 Rest Camp, under
Lieut. -Col. H. F. Sparrow, with Major E. L. Hunter,
M.C., as Assistant Commandant, No. 2 Camp being
attached to this Camp for all purposes.

Major G. C. Grahame took over command of No. 1,
to which later on No. 4, the Territorial Drill Hall,
was attached.

The accommodation at No. 3, when it was completely
equipped, was for 5,000 men, and great credit is due
to Lieut. -Col. Sparrow and Major Hunter, M.C., for
the very high state of efficiency reached in this Camp
and the great comfort provided for both officers and
men. This Camp, besides having the most up-to-date
appliances in the cook-houses, hot bath houses, etc.,
had also a dairy, where butter was made from Glaxo,
Ambrosial, and other brands of dried milk. Thousands
of pounds have been saved by the prevention of all
waste and by the splendid management of the institutes
and messing in this Camp.

Up to January, 1917, the Staff of the Commandant
Folkestone Area consisted only of an Assistant Provost
Marshal and an Assistant Provost Marshal for the
Canadians, but in January Major the Honourable
E. J. Mills, D.S.O., Kent Yeomanry, was appointed
Garrison Adjutant, and in March the Staff was in-
creased by an assistant garrison adjutant, a quarter-
master, a staff captain (Q) and a billeting officer — the
last named required for dealing with the large number
of officers who had to be billeted almost daily, parti-
cularly when sailings from Folkestone were cancelled.

In 1 91 8 the force of Military Police was increased

70 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

to eighty foot and twenty mounted, and the total
accommodation of the port had been increased to
fourteen thousand.

In October 1917, Colonel R. Burns-Begg had to
relinquish his appointment owing to a breakdown in
health, due to the overstrain on account of the work
entailed. He was succeeded by Lieut. -Col. the Hon.
E. J. Mills, D.S.O., on 20th December, 1917, which
appointment Lieut. -Col. Mills held till February,
1919, after the Armistice, when he vacated to attend
to his private affairs. Lieut.-Col. E. M. Liddell, of
the Duke of Wellington's Regiment, took over from
Lieut.-Col. Mills, and Captain P. Alexander, of the
Royal Fusiliers, became Garrison Adjutant.

The average number of men passing through the
Camps daily during 1917-18 was between 8,000 and
9,000, but during March and April, 1918, the numbers
were about 12,000 daily, with a maximum of 16,000
on one day. The troops passing through comprised
almost every nationality, English, Dominion and Colon-
ial Troops, 15,000 Americans, French, Russians, Serbs,
Indians, Chinese and Kaffirs, West Indians and Fijians.

In May, 1917, the Drill Hall belonging to the 1st
Volunteer Battalion "The Buffs" and the Cinque
Ports Artillery was formed into No. 4 Rest Camp,
attached to No. 1. Accommodation was provided
for four hundred men, bringing the total for the
station at this date up to 8,600.

Early in the year it was decided to utilise the services
of the members of the Women's Legion in the cook-
houses at the Rest Camps, which entailed having a
hostel attached to Nos. 1 and 3, for their accommo-
dation. Later on the members of the Women's
Legion were incorporated in the Q.M.A.A.C, and

SHAPING THE NEW ARMY. 71

their staffs rendered great services during the
War and added much to the comfort of the troops
passing through the Camps.

In April, 1917, a Tented Camp was pitched to the
east of Hill Road, Cherry Garden Avenue, to accom-
modate 2,000 Chinese or Kaffirs. This Camp was
designated the Labour Concentration Camp, under
the command of Lieut. -Col. F. Hopley. An auxiliary
camp was pitched on the west side of the road opposite
this camp to contain another 2,000 Asiatic or African
natives ; these were found invaluable for the heavy
labour work, especially loading and unloading shells,
etc., at the front.

During the summer the Chinese labour was utilised
to build hutments of re-inforced concrete, and this
work was carried our under the direction of the R.E.
Cherry Garden Camp, as it came to be called, was
really two separate blocks, with kitchens, hospitals,
etc., and could comfortably house 1,500 men.

By the end of May, 1919, nearly nine million men
had passed through Folkestone embarking to and
disembarking from France.

Six months after the signing of the Armistice some
4,000 leave men arrived from and returned to the Army
of Occupation daily, besides cadres for dispersal and
re-forming, and various drafts, breaking the journey at
Rest Camps for a good meal, and some staying overnight.

It is interesting to note that the last gift received by
men leaving England was a copy of the New Testa-
ment or the Book of Psalms, presented by the
Scripture Gift Mission. Nearly 1,000,000 men gladly
availed themselves of the generosity of the Society,
and doubtless found inspiration and comfort in the
literature of courage and consolation in the New
Testament.

CHAPTER V.

IN CASE IT HAPPENED.
By the Editor.

In War the only thing that is certain is that every-
thing is uncertain. The chances may be hundred to one
that a given emergency will not arise, but the possibility
must be recognised and provision made for the
eventuality. The unexpected has an awkward habit
of coming to pass. It is not surprising, therefore,
that many preparations were made "in case it
happened. "

In areas including coast towns there was neces-
sarily an element of risk. Arrangements were made
to meet it. Forewarned is forearmed, and Folkestone,
in common with other towns on the south-east coast,
was forewarned with dramatic suddenness. The
Military Authorities sent out instructions for the
formation of Emergency Committees, dealing with
matters that might arise in the eventuality of an
attack upon our shores, or a bombardment from
the sea. It was pointed out that the worst thing that
could happen would be the creation of panic ; nothing
could be more harmful or dangerous than a general
movement in the nature of flight on the part of women
and children. No action was to be taken until ordered
by the Military, and then it would be properly con-
trolled, and directed by the Police. It was of the
utmost importance that the movement of troops and

Photo] [Lam' erl Weston.

Lieut.-Col. Sir Stephen Penfold
(Mayor of Folkestone).

IN CASE IT HAPPENED. 73

artillery should not be hampered by the presence of
a considerable body of civilians. Road maps of the
coast towns were prepared and privately circulated,
giving instructions as to the roads which would be
required for Military operations.

The War Office sent instructions for the Com-
mittee to undertake the guidance of the civil popula-
tion to places of safety, and to remove or destroy all
food stuffs and material likely to be of service to the
enemy. At certain periods, in the dark days of the
War, provision merchants were instructed to keep
their stocks as low as possible, and at one time arrange -
ments were in readiness to receive a considerable
inflow of the French population, in case it should be
necessary to evacuate coast towns on the other side
of the Channel. Many proclamations were ready to
be issued ' ' in case it happened. ' '

In the unlikely event of a State of Emergency having
to be declared, it was arranged that the exodus of
civilians who chose to leave the town should be by
way of Paddlesworth to Lyminge ; thence to Stone
Street, Brabourne and Smeeth, and on to Cranbrook.
Food would be provided along the route. Each person
was to be advised to take food for two days, warm
clothing and money, but no other baggage. Upon
a State of Emergency being declared by the proper
Authority, the Military would take over control, and
the Chief of Police would become responsible for the
care of the civil population. The Government inti-
mated that the instructions were not sent out in view
of any immediate apprehension of an attempt to land
a hostile force in this country. That was improbable
in view of our Naval superiority ; but it was never

74 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

regarded as so remote that it could be ignored, and
extensive Military preparations were made to protect
the country against the danger.

It was regarded as unwise not to take all steps to
provide, "as far as human foresight enables us, against
every possible contingency. A large number of
Special Constables are in readiness to assist the civil
population and instruct those who desire to leave the
town the direction in which they should proceed, and
to advise the civil population whether or not they
should remain in their houses or leave the town."

The Mayor called a number of meetings and took
the necessary action to meet a series of contingencies,
which, happily, never arose. Provision was made
to ascertain the number of vehicles and horses in the
town. The owners were seen and certain instructions
were given as to their removal, or if that could not
be done, for their destruction, so as to be useless to
the enemy. Similar action was taken in regard to
motor cars, cycles, live stock of all descriptions, food
and forage and petrol.

In the event of the civilian population leaving,
Special Constables were to be placed throughout the
town, giving directions, and to make provision for
the removal of all civil cases from the Hospital who
were unable to walk, and for the use of conveyances
for the aged and infirm and young children.

The Special Constables rendered assistance of a
most valuable character. Their ordinary duties were
onerous, but to those were added responsibilities in
connection with what might have happened. Motor
cyclists were provided with hand-bells to ring as a
signal to assemble. Picked men were to call others in

IN CASE IT HAPPENED. 75

certain areas, so that a force of 200 reliable men would
have been available in less than two hours.

Hints of what was being done gave thrills to some
timid souls, and notices were prepared to calm their
troubled spirits. They were assured that there was
no likelihood of any such contingency occurring.
Some inhabitants rather resented the motherly
attempts at calming their spirits. One day, when the
flag was down from a public building, during an air
raid, a well-known resident sent to an official a
hammer and a box of nails, with a suggestion that it
might be put up.

The little town of Bridlington was entirely un-
fortified, but on the sea-front gardens there were three
old artillery guns, which could not be fired. They
were pointing seaward. The Town Council decided
to remove these so that "the enemy may have no
excuse whatever for firing on the town. ' ' The
enemy had plenty of excuse for attacking Folkestone
and the towns adjacent ; but they were not provided
with the opportunity. The Military had elaborate
plans worked out in minute detail. It is fairly safe
to say that if a German Force had succeeded in effecting
a landing, it would never have left our shores. It
would have been very difficult and costly to land such
a force, but it could not be regarded as by any means
impossible. In case it happened, arrangements were
made to give a hot reception to the adventurers.
Roads were mapped out for troops, and emplacements
were ready for guns. Officers had full instructions
what to do in certain eventualities, and had well
rehearsed their parts.

The Chief Constable had minute details prepared

76 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

for the guidance of his assistants, and was ready to
act immediately the signal was given. A code was
decided upon in cipher for use between the Military
and the Chief of Police. Stations were assigned to
certain men, so that they knew where to go, and had
the signal sounded they would very quickly have been
at their posts.

A General Emergency Committee was carefully
selected from residents of experience and discretion.
They were pledged to absolute secrecy. Special
duties were assigned to a few men who could be relied
upon to remain as silent as the grave. It must have
been amusing, and not a little irritating, for these
men to have read, or have listened, to the hysterical
vapourings of those who condemned because they did
not know. The latter were shouting for protection for
the town, and those who were responsible for that
very thing could not speak a word. The fault-finders
were usually of the type of the gentlemen who, when
the maroon sounded calling up the Territorials,
thought the Germans were coming, or had actually
fired on the coast ; and they left their refreshments
and ran to the Central Station as rabbits at the
sound of a gun flee to cover.

The emergency work done may be judged by some
general information. The Advisory Committee
assigned to Mr. G. J. Swoffer the task of entering into
communication with every owner of a horse or donkey,
cart, carriage or other vehicle, and to give the in-
formation that he must, on receiving notice that a
State of Emergency had arisen, immediately remove
his horse or vehicle from Folkestone, unless it was
required by the Military, and if time did not permit

IN CASE IT HAPPENED. 77

of its removal, it must be rendered useless to the
enemy. Mr. W. R. Boughton was commissioned to
communicate to all owners of motor-cycles and motor-
cars a similar notice, with instructions as to the best
way of destroying the vehicles if the emergency arose.
It was expected that the red buses, and all public
service cars, would be required for the use of troops.
Mr. H. H. Barton, of Temple & Barton, set out to warn
the owners of cows and sheep that they must be
prepared, in the event of notice, immediately to remove
their stock from Folkestone. Directions were given
what to do if the cattle could not be moved. Mr. G.
Boyd had charge of food and forage. He visited persons
having stocks, and informed them what should be done.
Mr. F. Seager called upon the users and sellers of petrol,
giving them notice that, in a State of Emergency,
they should run to waste all the petrol not required by
the Military. The Borough Engineer had lists made
of tradesmen, builders, and others possessing tools,
barbed wire, and other similar things which might
be useful to the enemy. It was arranged to have
gangs of men with the necessary tools in readiness
to carry out any field works required.

It was made clear that there was to be no removal
or destruction of property without instructions from
the Military Authorities or the Police. Some wise
critics thought the whole movement an evidence of
panic and a sheer waste of time ; but they had not
the disquieting information which came through to
the Authorities, and which obviously could not be
made public without creating a great deal of panic.

Many questions arose in the Emergency Committee
as to what should be done in this or that eventuality.

78 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

What, for instance, should happen to the large stocks
of wine ? There were stored at the harbour some
thousands of cases of champagne. It would be
practically impossible to remove them. Were they
to be destroyed or left for the invaders to drink the
Mayor's health ?

It was more than suspected that the German Navy
was only waiting the chance of a fog to attempt some
sort of invasion of the coast. The suspicion was
fully justified by after events. No foot of foeman
trod our shore, for the simple reason that the first
line of defence, the British Navy, did its duty so
magnificently that Germany never had a ghost of a
chance upon the high seas.

There can be no eulogy worthy of the strong, silent
men who kept watch so faithfully. To them more
than to all others Folkestone owes its safety. How
splendidly sailors of the day maintained the old
traditions of Blake, Drake, Nelson, and the rest, who
established the tradition that Britannia rules the
waves ! How completely the German Navy accepted
the tradition, when it was bottled up in the Kiel
Canal. Only upon one memorable occasion did it
steam out in full force, and then it came out to
surrender to Admiral Beatty.

In Folkestone Admiral Sir Roger Keyes was a
familiar figure, and there was general pleasure when
the news came that he and his merry men, in the true
old English style, had sailed to a pirates' lair, called
Zeebrugge, where a nest of submarines lay during the
day, and slunk out in the night to torpedo merchant
ships and assassinate their passengers, to the horror
of the world. It was a great day in Naval history

IN CASE IT HAPPENED. 79

when Sir Roger and his men corked up Zeebrugge
Harbour like a ginger- beer bottle, and did it under the
very nose of the enemy. The Navy enabled the
civilians to walk the town in comfort and safety.

There is no reason for secrecy now as to the German
plans to bombard the coast by long-range guns.
It is known that a giant gun had been prepared for the
special benefit of the South-East Coast. It was the
intention to mount this gigantic piece of ordnance in
the neighbourhood of Ostend, and this design was only
frustrated by the courage and vigilance of our boys
who fly. The Air Force rained destruction incessantly
on the specially prepared track by which it was alone
possible to convey the mammoth gun. The gun that
bombarded Paris was a comparative pigmy beside
the weapon designed for our special benefit. Had
it been mounted at Ostend, its range would have
covered Kent as far as Canterbury, Folkestone, and
Hythe, while the towns throughout the Isle of
Thanet would have had to be evacuated. When
fired at an angle of 450 the shell would pass through
the air at a maximum height of over 20 miles. At
this altitude skin friction is reduced to a minimum,
as there is believed to be no air there, and through this
void of space the shell would travel for over thirty miles
before the force of gravity would once again draw
it within the air belt, where it would begin its down-
ward path toward the objective.

We may be very thankful that the Germans did
not carry out their plans as they had expected. The
wonder is that these things did not happen ; for all
the probabilites were in their favour, though the
public knew it not. It is not speculation to record

80 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

that the enemy fully intended to make an attempt
at a great bombardment of the coast in the summer of
19 18. According to all the laws of warfare, the town
ought to have been bombarded ; the enemy should
have made the attempt. It would have given immense
prestige, and have influenced the policy of Neutrals as
nothing else could. It might have been very costly,
but almost any price could have been paid to destroy
the tradition that England could not be invaded.
"There's a Divinity that shapes our ends," and
when all has been said it is just a case of the
"stars in their courses" fighting against Sisera.
It was not to be. Perhaps the final analysis will
give no other explanation than that which might be
conveyed in old Father Faber's lines :

"For right is right, since God is God,
And right the day must win."
The Chief Constable had his work enormously
increased by the task of preparing for the things that
never happened. One of the curious phases of the
War was the development of the spy mania. It
served a useful purpose, and doubtless provided an
absorbing occupation for many persons who otherwise
would have been brooding over their ailments or the
calamities they foresaw befalling the country. People
who read the blood-curdling stories of the "Female
Vampire, ' ' feasted upon the cinema displays of ' ' The
Enemy in our Midst, ' ' or sat through the perform-
ances of popular spy-plays, were filled with the very
laudable ambition of rivalling Sherlock Holmes.
Folkestone had its self-commissioned force of detec-
tives, determined to track down every Hun in the
district who was signalling information to unknown
ships far out at sea.

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Many of the amateur Secret Service men and women
watched night by night; not a few of them from opposite
sides of the road watched each other. Some devoted
their attention to the windows along the sea-front,
on the look out for suspicious lights. All lights were
forbidden by the Police, and the fines for breach of
the law must have totalled up to a considerable sum.
Information was sent to the Chief Constable of blinds
that moved three times to the right, or twice to the
left, or were pulled up rapidly and drawn again at the
same hour each night. Investigation showed that
in one case a zealous old lady, dressing for dinner,
drew the curtain a little aside in order to keep observa-
tion upon a bend of the road where she had noticed
a suspicious person standing in the darkness. From
that spot Sherlock Holmes II., who had been the cause
of the mischief, went round with a proud heart to
report to the police. The net result was a warning
to the old lady and a ios. fine imposed on the innocent,
but legally responsible, hotel proprietor.

Among a sheaf of spy-stories there are some which
should certainly find a permanent record. One of
the most dramatic episodes was related from several
sources. Information was given to the police of a
mysterious light up by the hill. It moved in semi-
circles. Some watchers had seen it pass through the
air very rapidly ten or twelve times in succession.
Others observed it moving slowly, exactly the same
way, five or six times. Occasionally it flashed very
brightly, but not always in one colour ; at other times
it was a clear, steady light. There could be no doubt
it was an elaborate code, giving important information.
Some were sure that the worker of the signals was

82 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

intimating the arrival of fresh troops at the Camp.
It was undeniable that the flashes were seen upon
several occasions just after troops came into Shorn-
cliffe Station. Attempts were made to interpret the
code, but these were speculative, and finally it was
determined to arrest the person or persons working
the signals. Very careful preparations were made ;
men were selected and armed, as there might be
desperate resistance. Anyone who would risk flashing
signals across the sea would certainly be armed, and in
a critical move might destroy the signals, and take
his own life, or the lives of others. Reliable men were
set on the trail, and they did not fail. After watching
for several nights in vain, their opportunity came.
It was a lovely moonlight night, with just enough
mist over the hills to obscure minor objects. Ships
were in the Channel held up by the Dover signals ;
their forms could be seen clearly, though their lights
were out. A breeze was blowing up, but only enough
to create a murmur through the fast -falling leaves.
The strange light moved with uncanny precision ;
it was located, and silently the armed men came out
from their hiding place. They drew in upon the
unsuspecting signaller. A moment's pause, and then,
together, they dashed to the attack. It might mean
a tough fight, and serious results for somebody, but
there was no faltering or turning back. The affair
did not last long. The offender was laid low by a
well-aimed blow, though his figure could only be located
by a line of shadow. Then the secret was revealed
in its naked truth. An allotment holder, anxious
to keep birds off his ground, had conceived the brilliant
idea of hanging up a piece of an old broken looking-

IN CASE IT HAPPENED. 83

glass. It was tied with string to a big stick. As it
swung it reflected any light there was in the sky.
When the proposed War Museum is furnished the
Chief Constable ought to present that piece of plate
glass to the Authorities, that the generations yet un-
born may know what Sherlock Holmes II. did for his
country in the Great War.

A lady in the West-End reported that she strongly
suspected some persons who had recently removed into
the house next door were spies, as she was certain
that they had a wireless installation on their premises.
During several nights she had kept lonely vigil, and
had distinctly heard the clicking of wireless coming
from their rooms. She had not seen anything, but
she knew the sound, and was sure she was not mistaken.
Enquiries were carried out by the police, from which
it was shown that the occupants were thoroughly
loyal subjects. This was notified to the lady, but
it did not satisfy her. She returned again, and further
reported to the Authorities that the wireless was still
going ; she was convinced. In proof of her statement
she produced a sheet of paper covered with dots and
dashes, which she had taken down during the previous
night, while her neighbour was working the wireless.
She was so convinced that she urged that the
Authorities should get the message decoded, and they
would see for themselves the importance of it. To
clear the matter up, observation was kept upon the
premises for a night or two, and the clicking noise was
located ; but it was not the working of a wireless
installation, but simply the action of a revolving
cowl on the chimney pot.

Upon another occasion some residents reported

84 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

signalling from the roof of a certain large building
early in the morning. Observation was kept, but no
signalling was detected. The informants were told
that they had probably been mistaken ; but this
would not do. They knew that they had discovered
something that should be investigated, and they gave
hints of information to the War Office. Besides,
had they not seen, during the night before, the very
thing done ? and better still, that very morning the
traitor had forgotten to take the usual precaution of
removing the apparatus used for signalling. It
could be seen. The informant spoke with the accent
of assurance, and two responsible officials at once went
to the premises. They made a careful search, and
discovered upon the flat roof a clothes-line stretched
from one chimney-stack to another, on a portion of
which the maid, early in the morning, hung out the
mats to air.

The spy mania, while it was an amusing feature,
sometimes was very irritating. It at least showed the
determination of the people to take any precautions
within their power. In conjunction with the
Metropolitan Detective Service, the local police force
kept a close watch upon the thousands of persons
crossing from the Harbour, and some smart captures
were effected.

Among the most important of the precautionary
methods was the registration of aliens. It began in
Folkestone on the 7th August, 1914, and was soon
applied to all parts of the country. The Chief
Constable worked out a system of his own. Some of
the features commended themselves to the Authori-
ties, and are still in use. The magnitude of the work

IN CASE IT HAPPENED. 85

may be judged from the fact that 17,434 aliens have
been registered in the town. Large numbers of the
refugees who were sent to other centres were not
registered locally, or the total would have been very
much larger. More than 10,000 aliens have, for a
time, made their home in the town ; 4,155 have
been in Folkestone for the purposes of business or on
holidays ; and nearly 3,000 Belgian soldiers have spent
their leave from Active Service in the hospitable
homes of the residents.. It was oft-times amusing to
see groups of "les petits braves" playing upon the
beach with the children ; with the abandonment of
the little people to the pleasures of the moment, they
paddled and made sand-castles. What a contrast to
the life they had lived in the trenches ! They expressed
great delight when addressed in their own language,
and never tired of hearing about the charms of the
district.

During the last three years the arrivals and
departures of aliens to and from the area have averaged
about 500 per month. It is interesting to note among
the different nationalities registered thirty countries
are represented, including Russia, Siam, Egypt,
Rumania, Serbia, China, Armenia, Austria, Greece,
and Turkey.

When feeling against the aliens ran very high it
seemed that there would be serious unpleasantness for
naturalized Germans and Austrians who remained
at liberty in the town. Some of them were very old,
and in one or two cases so infirm that they could not
continue their usual avocations. Two or three others
had been naturalized many years ago, and were
bitterly opposed to the Kaiser and his military caste.

86 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

But that availed nothing with a number of persons who
threatened what they would do unless the aliens were
all interned. Happily, there was never anything
more than threatening and rumours. The police had
close supervision of all enemy aliens in the county,
and could at any moment have produced their records,
and even their finger-prints, and they always knew
where to find those whose names were upon their lists.
The system of registration was very carefully carried
out. A full description of the person was given, and a
photograph attached. It was not permissible for a
registered man to leave the district without obtaining
a special permit, and then it was required that he should
report himself to the police in the area in which he
went to reside. By this means all the aliens, whether
suspected or not, were under police supervision.

The things that might have happened and did not
come to pass were very many ; but it was wise on the
part of the Authorities to take no unnecessary risks.

CHAPTER VI.

THE AIR RAIDS.
By Arthur J. Crowhurst.

The most vivid phase of the war so far as Folkestone
was affected was the air raids phase. It surpassed all
other experiences of those "crowded hours" of 1914-
19, in its effect and influence upon the life and activi-
ties of the local community. It was not until May 25th,
1917, that a raid on the town actually occurred, but
that ordeal was horrific, never to be effaced from the
memory. For ten minutes or so death literally rained
from the sky — a sky of azure blue — causing the streets
in some parts of the town to run with blood, and carry-
ing bleak desolation into scores of homes.

No warning of the imminence of the deadly peril was
received by the town authorities — although it is said
that something of the approaching danger was known
of and spoken about by some workers on the Harbour —
and the visitation was wholly unexpected. Folkestone
had somehow allowed itself to be lulled into a soothing
sense of security. It regarded the war almost with
complacency so far as actual danger went. Perhaps
it was too complacent. It was familiar with the
happenings and the panoply of war in various
aspects. There had been " alarums and excursions."
Even before England had thrown down the gage
to Germany we had watched our mighty battleships
swiftly surging their way through the waters of the
Channel en route to their stations in the North Sea ;

88 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

some of us had seen or heard the troops silently march-
ing in the dead of night from Shorncliffe to the railway
station. We had seen a great deal of the aftermath of
war. Quite early the Belgian refugees had landed in
their thousands, and we soon became accustomed to
the sight of wounded soldiers, likewise to the distant
thunder of the guns in Flanders and Picardy.
Thousands of troops embarked and disembarked at the
Harbour, and many of the best houses in the town had
been taken over by the military for use as rest camps,
enclosed with hideous corrugated iron fencing, with
entrances diligently guarded by sentries who challenged
all and sundry if there were a doubt as to their having
any business there.

There were these and many other things to remind
us that we were at war — at war with an implacable,
unscrupulous, and barbaric foe. The husbands and
sons of many citizens had fallen in the fighting, but
wives and parents carried on with little outward sign
of their grief. There had been enemy aircraft raids
east and west of Folkestone, with loss of life on each
side, not so many miles away ; we were conscious of
the fact that we were well within the war zone, and
there was no sound reason to think that the Hun
would spare us. On the contrary, the main line of
communications with the vast battle plains on the
Western Front ran plumb through the heart of
Folkestone, and the town and district were an armed
camp of vital military, if not strategic, importance.

In the minds of a few people there was one fact
which they felt might cause the enemy to exclude the
town from his sinister attentions from air and sea, and
that was that in the Cemetery there reposed the

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THE AIR RAIDS. 89

remains of a number of German sailors, men who lost
their lives on the occasion of the foundering of the
" Grosser Kurfurst " on May 31st, 1878, and some of
whose comrades were gallantly rescued by Folkestone
fishermen. Greatly daring, the Mayor of Hythe (Mr.
William R. Cobay) had written to a prominent London
newspaper, pointing out this fact, and suggesting that,
in consequence, the district might hope to remain
immune from bombardment. How anybody acquainted
with the mentality of the Hun could found any hope
upon such a reason it is difficult to understand.

At any rate, whatever may have been the cause,
Folkestone went scathless for nearly three years.
Prior to May 25th, 1917, all our suffering had been
vicarious, and we went about our lawful business
with scarcely a tremor. The Great War might rage
elsewhere ; vast areas of Europe might be a welter of
blood ; German submarines might lurk beneath the
waters of the earth and blow sailors, soldiers, and others
to kingdom come ; nations might go up in flames
and millions be put to death ; but there was little or
nothing to disturb the even round of our daily life
in Folkestone such as we had known it since those
seemingly far-off pre-war days. The gigantic conflict
was being waged with all the resources of art and
science, but others were "in it," not we. In the war
zone as we were, we yet viewed the war with a more or
less strong sense of detachment, the majority perhaps
vainly imagining that this happy state of things would
continue until the end of the chapter.

Such was the local atmosphere of serenity and
security which was blasted into oblivion by the high
explosive bombs hurled upon the town of Folkestone

90 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

on the evening of May 25th, 1917. Truly it was a
terrific awakening, horrifying, for a brief interval
almost stupefying ! If the town staggered and reeled
under the blow — a blow so utterly unexpected —
perhaps it may be forgiven, for the raid was (up to that
time) the biggest and most deadly raid of the War !

In the introduction to this section an attempt has
been made to give an idea of the local circumstances
and attitude at the date of the Great Raid. But events
under this heading of local cognizance, if not of actual
local incidence, should be dealt with in chronological
sequence before that dire disaster is described in detail.
Dover was the locale of the first aircraft raid on this
country, a solitary German aeroplane appearing over
that town on December 24th, 1914, and dropping a
few bombs, but without inflicting any loss of life, and
damaging property to a small extent only. Dover is
separated from Folkestone by only six miles, which is
a mere nothing in this distance-annihilating era of the
aeroplane, but Folkestone took no more than a casual
interest in the episode. It may be worth mentioning
that January 19-20, 1915, was the date of the first
Zeppelin raid on England ; on that occasion four
civilians were killed and fifteen civilians and one
soldier were injured in Norfolk.

On May 3rd, 1915, in the morning, some excitement
was caused in Folkestone by the report that a German
aeroplane had crossed to Dover and was on its way to
our town. There was a sound of gunfire away to the
eastward, in which direction many people, leaving
their occupation and going into the streets, strained
their eyes, whilst not a little commotion was created

THE AIR RAIDS. 91

by a military lorry on which an anti-aircraft gun was
mounted careering through the town by a devious
route to the Dover Road to take a part in the prospec-
tive affray. Some distant object, apparently an
aeroplane, was seen away up over the Downs, and it
was reported later that pieces of a shell from an anti-
aircraft gun had fallen in a field a little distance from
the Valiant Sailor. It was not, however, a German
aeroplane which was fired at, but one of our own !
What had happened was this : There was in existence
an order that every British aeroplane crossing from
France to England should previously send intimation
of its coming, in default of which it would be fired at.
On this day an airman had omitted to do this, and
consequently his machine was mistaken for a hostile
craft.

On August 9th, 1915, many inhabitants were aroused
just before midnight by the reverberations of terrific
explosions, and these who looked out eastwards saw
vivid flashes. A Zeppelin was making a raid on Dover.
The din must have been deafening at the actual
locale of the raid, but it was again a case of much cry
and little wool, the casualties being limited to three
sailors injured. This was the only instance of a
Zeppelin dropping bombs on Dover, although on two
other occasions enemy airships were in the neigh-
bourhood of the town, one being so seriously damaged
by gunfire that it descended in the Channel and was
destroyed by Allied airmen from Dunkirk. Dover
was, however, bombed by aeroplanes on quite a number
of occasions.

On October 13th, 1915, at a comparatively
early hour of the night a Zeppelin discharged

92 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

bombs on the Canadian Camp at Otterpool (near
Lympne) and at Stanford, in the neighbourhood
of Westenhanger Station, which is only about
eight miles from Folkestone, where the sound
of the explosions was heard by many people,
flashes being seen from the Leas. No civilians
were killed or injured, although some houses were
missed by a very narrow margin, and there was some
damage to property. But our friends from the Land
of the Maple Leaf did not come off so well. A score
or more were killed or injured. The official return,
published since the signing of the Armistice, gives the
number of killed under the heading of "Sailors and
Soldiers " as 17 and the number of injured as 21. These
figures may have included casualties in other areas
which were bombed that night, but undoubtedly the
majority related to Canadians stationed at Otterpool.
Associated with this raid at Otterpool Camp was a
remarkable instance of the futility of the censorship
on that occasion. The British Press at this period
was hedged about with all sorts of restrictions in regard
to air raids. In the case of nocturnal visitations the
precise localities bombed were not to be stated. Such
mention had been made in the case of some of the
earlier raids, but definite instructions had been sent
to the newspapers that the names of towns and places
were not to be included in such limited reports as
were permissible. Consequently in the reports in the
English Press there was no indication that the Cana-
dian Camp at Otterpool had been bombed. But the
whole story was told in the ' ' Evening News, ' ' published
at New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, on October 16th, 1915
— only three days after the raid. On the front and

THE AIR RAIDS. 93

principal news page there appeared the following article,
headed in big type : " Canadians were killed in Zeppelin
Raids — Eleven Artillerymen Fall Victims to Hun ' ' : —

(Canadian Press Dispatch).

Ottowa, Ontario, October 16th. — The Zeppelin raids
on England have now come home to Canada. From the
latest casualty list and from information obtained from
local militia sources, it would appear that there were n
Canadian Artillerymen who lost their lives in the last
raid, that of the 13th.

The total military casualties reported in the official
statement by the British authorities were 14 killed and 13
wounded, so that it would appear the Canadians were the
chief sufferers. Besides the eleven men who lost their
lives, three are reported as missing and three wounded.

All these cases took place at Otterpool Camp, Kent,
England. The casualties took place among the 5th Brigade
of the Canadian Second Division Artillery. As far as is
known, these are the first Canadians to meet death as a
result of a Zeppelin raid.

Last night's casualties of this type are all Western men,
except one, whose next of kin is given as residing in St.
Catherine's, one who is a member of the 29th Battery.

As the foregoing was published only three days
after the raid occurred, the information could not have
been sent in a letter under cover, but must have gone
through by cable. Even if it were nobody's business
to censor the cablegram, it might have been thought
that it would be somebody's business to prevent the
details being blazoned forth in a Nova Scotian news-
paper. Obviously it would be absurd to allow such a
report to be printed in a Canadian paper if it were
deemed desirable to forbid English papers to insert it.

Nearly a year passed without anything happening
in the air in the immediate vicinity of Folkestone.
Dover and other parts of Kent were raided, and at
times there was a little mild excitement in our own
town caused by the sound of gunfire at a distance, or

94 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

distant flashes seen at night. Shortly after two
on the morning of August 25th, 191 6, a Zeppelin
passed over, or very nearly over, the town, Actually
the course which it took lay over the inner Harbour,
and it was travelling at a height of 12,000 feet. It
was picked up by the searchlight on the hills between
Folkestone and Dover at 2.15 a.m., according to an
entry in the records of the local Fire Brigade, and was
subjected to a brisk cannonading by the anti-aircraft
guns, the din arousing many from their slumbers.
Those who looked out from their windows saw a cigar-
shaped object travelling eastwards. Soon it altered
its course a point or two to the south — its crew were
probably endeavouring to baffle the gunners on the
hills — and eventually disappeared from view. It
dropped no bombs in this district, but later in the day
an official report sent out from Berlin contained the
following : —

"During the night of August 24-25 several naval
dirigibles attacked the southern portion of the East
Coast of England. They dropped numerous bombs
on the City and the South Eastern district of London
and the batteries at the naval stations at Harwich
and Folkestone, and numerous vessels moored in
Dover Harbour. Everywhere very good results were
observed. ' '

Just before midnight on the 2nd of September, 1916,
a Zeppelin was heard over the sea, apparently steering
west. It was subsequently reported that it turned
northwards after passing Dymchurch, crossing the
coastline between that place and Lydd.

Up to this date the arrangements in the immediate
locality for defence against aerial attacks were not

THE AIR RAIDS. 95

organised on any elaborate scale. Apart from the
small weapons on lorries, the only anti-aircraft guns
were those stationed on the hills between Folkestone
and Dover. Whether the military mind was at one
with the civilian mind in imagining that the district
would continue to enjoy immunity from attack, or
whether the weakness of the defences was due to the
fact that the War Department had not enough guns
to be able to spare more for this neighbourhood, is
a matter which must be left to conjecture. Some
more guns, however, were placed in position at the
top of the hill, a quarter of a mile or so from the
Valiant Sailor, towards the end of the summer of
1916 — about or after the time when the Zeppelin
passed over Folkestone Harbour.

On the night of March 16-17, 1917> one or more
Zeppelins were cruising about in the vicinity, four
explosive bombs being dropped at Swingfield, four
incendiary bombs at Hougham, two explosive and
seven incendiary bombs at Newchurch, three explosive
and seven incendiary bombs at Appledore Farm, and
one explosive bomb at Ivychurch. The results were
restricted to the killing of four sheep at Ivychurch,
slight damage to a few ceilings, and a few broken
windows.

So, without anything more momentous occurring,
we passed on to the fateful 25th of May, 1917.

Picture to the mind an exquisite evening in late
spring, the sun still comparatively high in the heavens,
and radiating a genial warmth upon the earth — a
quiet, calm evening when all Nature appeared to be at
rest. A few minutes after six Folkestone, in the full

96 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

glory of its springtime garb, resembled a veritable
paradise of peace. An aeroplane cruised about over
the town rather low down, but we had become so
familiar with the spectacle of flying machines that one
hardly even associated it with the war, and certainly
nobody would regard it as an ominous sign. Complete
tranquility was the predominant note of the closing
day, and there was nothing to warn us of the tragedy
that was about to burst upon us. Yet only a few
minutes journey away nearly a score of German
aeroplanes of the most recent design and construction
were racing towards Folkestone at top speed, laden
with bombs ready to be hurled amongst the hapless
populace.

The first indication of the approach of the Huns
was the sound of distant explosions, two, three,
possibly four, minutes before the full blast of the
attack. But, accustomed as we were then to the sound
of gun practice, at first we were disinclined to pay any
heed to the sounds. Probably it was only in the
quieter parts of the borough that the distant
detonations were heard at all. In point of fact, as we
were soon to learn, they were the reports of bombs
dropped a few miles to the west of the town. The
sounds gradually came nearer, and in a few minutes
there was a perfect furore of explosions. We were in
the midst of the first great daylight raid. At first
some of the inhabitants laboured under the impression
that the town was being bombarded from the sea, but
the unmistakable whirr of powerful aeroplanes, heard
between the explosions as the machines were passing
directly overhead, informed them that the attack
came from the air. It was a racking, nerve-testing

THE AIR RAIDS. 97

experience. In the principal zones of devastation the
horror of it all was enhanced by the cries and moans
of the wounded, the noise of falling masonry, and the
crash of broken glass as windows were rent into a
million atoms. Sixty or more were killed instanta-
neously, before they had time to realise what was
happening ; others, less fortunate in a way, were
injured beyond recovery, and many others maimed
for life.

A ghastly, horrible business of death and mutilation
truly ! The sights which met the gaze of those who
hastened to the grim task of removing the bodies and
remains and succouring the wounded baffled description.
Human trunks were cleft in two or more pieces, heads
were blown from bodies, and there were fragments
of bodies and limbs in whose case identification was
more a matter of surmise than anything else. Yet,
in spite of this heartrending holocaust, the military
value of the raid was practically nil. One bomb hit
the railway — this fell between the up and down lines
at the Central Station — but it did not explode, and the
damage was quickly repaired. Obviously the object
of the German aviators was to wreck the railway and
the Harbour, but in this they signally failed, although
it must be admitted that their aim was far from being
discreditable, bearing in mind the great height at
which they flew. Many civilians were killed and a
greater number injured, but from a military point of
view the achievement was of insignificant, if any,
value.

The enemy aircraft had approached the town from
the west in well-observed formation, the leader
of the fleet being somewhat in advance by himself.

98 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

Not a few people who happened to be out of doors
gazed at the oncoming Gothas with keen, undisturbed
interest, mentally remarking, ' ' What a fine spectacle ! "
and failing to realise that they were enemy raiders
until bombs dropped in the heart of the town startled
them into an accurate appreciation of the deadly
character of the aerial visitation. As the aeroplanes
neared Folkestone they broke from their formation
and spread out fanwise, some deviating so that their
course lay over the golf links, their objective being
probably the military encampment at the foot of
Castle Hill (Caesar's Camp), others taking a line over
the railway, and some diverging seawards, evidently
in the hope that their bombs would strike the
Harbour and perhaps sink some of the transports
there. But the German crews, being at the great
height of 14,000 feet or so, failed, with the slight
exception already recorded, to hit their targets.

The total number of bombs dropped in the borough,
including those which fell into the sea not far from the
beach, was fifty-one. Of these thirty-one exploded or
partially exploded, fourteen which fell on land did not
explode at all, and six dropped into the sea, some a
short distance from the Victoria Pier. Others were
dropped at Shorncliffe and Hythe, and yet others
near the Railway further up the line. A fast train
from London was on its way to Folkestone at the
time, but the driver, sagaciously apprehending the
danger of the situation, slowed down with the object
of letting the aeroplanes get well in front. With
regard to the bombs which were discharged in Folke-
stone and the immediate district, a military expert
in explosives who visited the town stated that only

THE AIR RAIDS. 99

a few fully exploded, including that which fell in
Tontine Street and one which fell at Shorncliffe Camp.
But some of the others "exploded sufficiently" to
cause enough damage to life and property. One
hardly likes to imagine what the total extent of the
disaster would have been had all the bombs com-
pletely exploded.

From an examination of some of the missiles which
did not explode at all it was obvious that the failure
was due to bad workmanship. An interesting instance
can be given. The construction of a bomb includes
a contrivance which may be termed a safety device,
which enables it to be handled without danger. At
the tail end are fans which cause the bomb to revolve
as it passes through the air, such revolution setting
up a centrifugal force which opens, or should open, the
safety device, whereby the percussion cap is brought
into effective action. But in the case of at least one
bomb this safety device did not open because an
obstruction was caused by the head of a screw which
had not been turned right home, and thus projected
slightly above the surface. Time was when we heard
a great deal of the splendid quality of German work-
manship, but after seeing such an instance of
' ' scamping ' ' one is inclined to think that a great deal
of the laudation was unmerited. No doubt negligence
in like or other details was the cause of other bombs
not exploding or only partly exploding.

With reference to the topographical incidence of
the bombs, it is perhaps remarkable that it was not
where the greater number fell that the greatest loss
of life occurred. The area which received most attention
was what may be called the Central Station area.

100 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

Within a radius of 300 yards or 400 yards nearly
twenty bombs were dropped — almost half of the
total number which fell on land. But it was in Tontine
Street where the toll of human life was greatest.
Only one bomb fell there, but sixty-one men, women,
and children lost their lives, and many others were
more or less seriously injured. The other principal
"death zone" was the lower part of Bouverie Road
East.

Dealing in detail first with the Central Station
area, only one human life was lost in immediate
proximity thereto. This victim was Mr. Edward
Horn, butler to Sir Thomas Devitt, of Radnor Cliff,
who was in the approach road on the down side when
two cab horses, affrighted by explosions, started to
run away down the declivity. Mr. Horn gallantly en-
deavoured to stop one, when a bomb fell close to him,
killing him and both horses. As already stated, one
bomb fell on the railway track, but did not explode.
Three fell in gardens at the rear of Nos. 14, 16, and 19,
Kingsnorth Gardens, close to the railway embankment,
but each one of these was a ' ' dud. ' ' One of them
penetrated the ground to a depth of sixteen feet,
"travelled" in a lateral direction another sixteen
feet, and rose towards the surface a distance of ten
feet before coming to a standstill ! A bomb which
exploded fell in a garden at the back of a house in
Cheriton Road (at a point opposite the south end of
Julian Road), and three others came to earth close by,
but failed to explode. On the other side of the railway
three missiles fell in open ground some distance east
of Marten Road. One of these exploded, causing
two deaths. A bomb fell at the top end of Jointon

THE AIR RAIDS. 101

Road, just outside the entrance gates of Kimberley,
the residence of Dr. W. J. Tyson, the explosion killing
a pedestrian (a woman). One which fell in the lawn
tennis ground of the Pleasure Gardens and another
which found impact in Earls Avenue did not explode.
A bomb which came down in the grounds in front of
Grimston Gardens exploded, but that can hardly
be regarded as being in the Central Station area.
There was no loss of life in this instance, but windows
were shattered on a wholesale scale, as indeed was the
case in all neighbourhoods where bombs fell. As
coming within the Station area may be mentioned
those dropped, one near the top end of Radnor Park
West ; another in the Park itself close to the road ;
others in Wiltie Gardens (Nos. 2 and 4) ; Radnor Park
Crescent (north end, west side) ; Bournemouth Gardens
(east side, wrecking the front of Mr. F. E. Crosswell's
house, No. 2) ; Boscombe Road (No. 18) ; and St.
John's Church Road (No. 3). All these exploded or
partially exploded, as also did one which fell on a
piece of vacant land behind a hoarding at the corner
of Radnor Park Road and Black Bull Road, the
casualties including one fatality.

Three others narrowly missed the railway embank-
ment (south side) between the Viaduct and the Junction
Station. One partly demolished No. 28, St. John
Street (but inflicted no loss of life) and two fell in the
meadow at the back of Grove Road, one killing a
horse belonging to Mr. F. W. Pepper. Some missile
burst over or near the goods shed at the Junction
Station, causing much damage to glass and ceilings
in the locality, but there was some doubt as to whether
this was not a shell from an anti-aircraft gun in the
Dover district.

102 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

In the Bouverie Road East area, in addition to
a bomb which hit the pavement in front of No. 21
(killing the occupier, Mr. J. Burke, and other people),
one fell in the grounds of the County School for Girls,
another in a garden of No. 1 (south side), Mill Field,
and another in the garden of No. 19 (north side).
Bouverie Square, all there exploding. A bomb also
came down in Bouverie Road East, opposite Christ
Church Schools, but happily this did not explode.
Similar failure attended one which fell on a furniture
store at the rear of premises in the lower part of
Rendezvous Street (east side).

One bomb wrecked No. 21, Manor Road, killing a
cook who was in the basement. Not many yards
away, a bomb fell in the back garden of No. 22) the
residence of Dr. Percy Lewis), on the other side of
Manor Road. At any rate in more than one official
record this missile is described as a bomb, but
another account is that it was an anti-aircraft shell,
which burst on the roof of a back wing and crashed
into the room beneath, smashing all the windows and
lamps and severely damaging a piano and carved
chest. A chair, which had only just been vacated by
Mrs. Percy Lewis, was completely destroyed, but a
large billiard table in the middle of the room was
untouched. Eventually the " shell " was found in a
room below, the windows and furniture of which
room were also badly smashed. A bomb in the same
district fell through the roof of the Osborne Hotel (at
the corner of Christ Church Road and Bouverie Road
West), penetrating to the lower part of the building,
where it exploded, wrecking the greater part of the
interior, but causing no loss of life. Most of the
occupants had previously run outside.

THE AIR RAIDS. 103

"Straggling" bombs fell: one just inside the
municipal boundary, in the grounds of Enbrook, at the
corner of Military Road and High Street, Sandgate;
one in the grounds of a school on the west side of
Coolinge Lane ; one in Turketel Road (on the West
Cliff Estate) ; two on the golf links ; one in a field
near the links, but on the west side of Hill Road;
another in open ground, south-east of the Sanatorium,
on the East Cliff ; and yet another near the western
end of the Warren.

As already stated, Tontine Street was the scene of
the greatest loss of life, the result of a single bomb
falling on the pavement in front of the spacious green-
grocery stores of Messrs. Stokes Bros. (Nos. 51a,
51b, 51c), In an instant a spectacle of life and bustle
was changed into an appalling scene of carnage and
destruction. In this part of the town the early part
of Friday evening is a favourite time for shopping.
To many inhabitants it is a convenient opportunity
for replenishing the household larder for the ensuing
week, as likewise it is to some people in the adjoining
country districts. Consequently, when the Gothas
passed over the borough this thoroughfare, especially
at this point, was thronged with people, mainly
women and children, amongst whom was hurled from
the skies this death-laden missile. The bomb exploded
with tremendous force, killing nearly sixty people
instantaneously, injuring others so grievously that
they died the same night or the next day, and wounding
more or less seriously nearly a hundred more. In a
moment the street was filled with dead and dying,
some torn limb from limb, intermingled with human
bodies being the lifeless and mangled carcases of

104 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

horses, which added to the horror and ghastliness of
the scene. Near the centre of this zone of slaughter
was Police Constable Whittaker, who, wonderful to
relate, was left standing unhurt, with the dead and
maimed strewn all around him. At the inquest, in
describing the spectacle which he saw on visiting
Tontine Street immediately after the raid, Mr. Harry
Reeve (the Chief Constable) said it was an appalling
sight which he would never forget to his dying day.

The premises of Messrs. Stokes Bros, were
completely wrecked, the materials of which the
structure was composed, fittings, and stock being
reduced to a state of chaos difficult to imagine. Mr.
W. H. Stokes, one of the partners, was killed, dying
just as the rescuing party reached him, most of the
staff of women and girls meeting with a similar fate.
William Edmond Stokes, the fourteen-year-old son of
Mr. W. H. Stokes, was amongst those fatally injured.
The shop front of Mr. J. A. Waite, confectioner, of
No. 51, was destroyed, Mr. Waite himself sustaining
a rather severe wound in the head, which was struck
by some flying fragment, and the Brewery Tap (No.
53), kept by Mr. Albert Taylor, was also extensively
damaged. No. 53 was not badly damaged, but the
proprietor, Councillor John Jones, was injured in the
leg.

Great havoc was also wrought on the opposite side
of the road, the drapery emporium of Messrs.
Gosnold Bros., at Nos. 56, 58, and 60, Tontine Street,
bearing the brunt. The front of the premises was
destroyed, and some people sheltering there were
killed. None of the employees was killed, but Mr.
George Gosnold was injured. Mr. William Henry

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THE AIR RAIDS. 105

Hall, pork butcher, of No. 68, was badly injured, and
died on the following Sunday. His premises suffered
severely, as also did those of Mr. W. J. Franks,
decorator and plumber (No. 62), the Premium Trading
Stamp Co. (No. 64), Mr. H. R. Springate, newsagent
(No. 66), and Mr. John P. Marsh, draper (Nos. 70 and
72). Various other shops suffered in a lesser degree,
the area of the damage in Tontine Street extending
approximately from No. 35, Mr. Henry Warren's fruit
shop, to the Congregational Church.

An eighteen-inch gas main under the pavement in
front of Messrs. Stokes' establishment was broken,
and the gas ignited by the flame from the explosion.
Some of the woodwork of the wrecked premises caught
alight, but the Fire Brigade, which was quickly in
attendance, soon put out the fire. Mr. H. O. Jones,
the Chief Officer of the Brigade, left the jet from the
main burning for a time, there being a more urgent
call for the services of himself and his men in
succouring wounded and removing the dead. Subse-
quently the gas flame was put out by smothering it
with a load of sand. This was the only outbreak of
fire during the raid.

The lower part of Bouverie Road East, where it
runs past Alexandra Gardens, was also a scene of
havoc, although the toll of life was small compared
with that in Tontine Street. A bomb fell on the pave-
ment in front of No. 21, Bouverie Road East, a shop
tenanted by Mr. John Burke, a boot and shoe repairer.
The shop and the adjoining premises (No. 19), used as
a cafe, were "wiped out." Mr. Burke was in his
little establishment at the time. The force of the
explosion literally "picked him up" and flung him

106 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

across the road against the railings of the County
School for Girls, killing him instantly. The adjacent
building at the corner of Alexandra Gardens, one of
several stories, let out in flats, was almost completely
wrecked. Some of the pavement was blown into the
basement, and floors and dividing walls collapsed into
a mass of ruin, in which furniture, masonry, and wood-
work were jumbled pell-mell together in chaotic and
indescribable fashion. It was not recorded that any
fatality occurred in this building, but Kathleen
Chapman, a girl employed as housemaid at Bates'
Hotel, Sandgate Road, who was walking along Alex-
andra Gardens to fetch a pair of shoes belonging to
a friend from Mr. Burke's shop, was struck by some
substance when about fifty yards from Bouverie
Road East, and mortally wounded. Two soldiers
who were with her, George Henry Bloodworth and
another, were also killed.

Another bomb fell in the road a little further down,
in front of the premises (No. n) of Messrs. Durban
Bros., butchers. Mr. Wilfred Durban and several
others were in the shop, but, although the front of
the premises was shattered, those inside escaped with
injuries or shock. Mr. Durban himself was thrown
behind his safe. The County School for Girls, Christ
Church Schools, the building at the corner (east side)
of Alexandra Gardens, then used as a Belgian School,
and other premises in the neighbourhood, including
some in Alexandra Gardens and Cheriton Road, also
sustained damage.

At the time of the raid the only people indoors at
West Lodge, No. 21, Manor Road (the residence of
Mrs. Callaghan), were Jane Marchment, a cook* and

THE AIR RAIDS. 107

another servant. The latter ran out of the house
just before it was struck by the bomb and in
greater part collapsed. As already stated, the cook,
who was in the basement, was killed. Her body was
not recovered until nearly 24 hours later. Men of the
Fire Brigade and others worked for three hours on
Friday night in the search, at the end of which time it
was felt that no living soul could be amongst the
wreckage. On the following day the search was
resumed and continued until five, when the body was
found beneath the ruins of the staircase and other
parts of the house. Her feet had been cut clean off.
Apparently she had been endeavouring to make her
exit from the house when she was overwhelmed by an
avalanche of debris. •

To continue the narrative of the incidence of the
bombs so far as they were accompanied by fatal
effects, mention should be made of the deaths of Mrs.
Maggie Grey Bartleet (the wife of Sergeant-Major
J. J. Bartleet, R.A.M.C), who was killed in Jointon
Road ; of Mr. Albert Edward Castle, a naval pensioner
and gardener, who was hit whilst in the grounds of
the Grange School, Shorncliffe Road ; of Doris Eileen
Spencer Walton (a pupil at The Mount, Julian Road),
who was playing tennis on a lawn at Athelstan Ladies'
School, Shorncliffe Road, when she was struck by a
fragment which was hurled through the air by the
explosion of a bomb which fell some distance away ;
and of Mr. George Edward Butcher, a coal carter, who
succumbed on June 6th to injuries received whilst
standing near the Castle Inn, Foord Road. Reference
has already been made to the fatality at the Central
Station.

108 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

It is impossible to chronicle all the remarkable
incidents and narrow escapes during the raid. But men-
tion must be made of the extraordinary occurrence
at No. 28, St. John Street, the residence of Mr. Stephen
Chittenden, a member of the Folkestone Fire Brigade.
At the time he was on duty at the Head Station in
Dover Road, which is close to St. John Street. When
the bombs commenced to fall on the town Mr. H. O.
Jones, the Chief Officer of the Brigade, was in Sandgate
Road. He at once proceeded to the nearest available
telephone, rang up the Head Fire Station, and asked
if there were any calls to fires. Fireman Stephen
Chittenden replied that there was only one — from
Tontine Street. Just then there was another explosion,
and the fireman exclaimed : ' ' My God, I believe that
is at my house ! ' ' And it was ! The bomb exploded
on the roof of 28, St. John Street, the top floor being
blown away. In a room on the floor immediately
underneath were two women and a child — an elderly
woman (bedridden), her daughter-in-law, and a
grand-daughter. Their escape from death was almost
miraculous. One part of the ceiling and floor above
them fell into their room, but it swung down slantwise
as it might have done had the other side being fixed
on hinges ; consequently the other part remained
suspended above them. The old lady had a leg
broken, and the child sustained an injury to the hip.
The occupants were rescued from the wrecked premises
by the Fire Brigade.

Very remarkable, too, was the case of the Osborne
Hotel in Bouverie Road West. The bomb fell through
all the floors to the basement, where it exploded.
The roof of the building was broken in, all the floors

THE AIR RAIDS. 109

suffered, and the basement rooms became an entangle-
ment of debris and broken furniture. Yet nobody
was seriously injured.

The dials of the clocks of Tontine Street Congre-
gational Church and Radnor Park Congregational
Church were both broken, and the works themselves
put ' ' out of action. ' ' Christ Church was also
damaged. The manner in which the shock from
explosions found its way over house-tops and other
obstructions, passed round corners, and shattered
windows and caused other damage was not a little
extraordinary. Tons of broken glass lay on the
pavement in various parts of the town after the
Gothas had passed over the borough. The effects
of high explosives, fantastic as well as fatal, were a
revelation.

Connected with the raid were two things which
perhaps should be recorded. One was the suggestion
emanating from some imaginative mind that the
aeroplane circling .about the town rather low down
just before the Hun machines arrived was in reality
a "spy machine" acting as a guide to the enemy.
Once this brilliant idea was mooted it spread with
amazing rapidity, not a few giving credence to it.
As a matter of fact it was a "trakiing bus" of the
Royal Flying Corps.

Another impression was that the Hun aircraft
included a Zeppelin. Many people emphatically
asserted that they saw a Zeppelin, and remained
unconvinced that they were wrong even after the
announcement in the official report that the raiding
craft were aeroplanes. The erroneous notion was
due probably to the expansive wing spread of the

110 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

machines and the effect of the sun shining on them.

It is impossible to place on record here all the
examples of courage and self-control, but brief mention
may be made of one. At Kent College, in Grimston
Avenue, a Girl Guides' service was being conducted
by the Rev. J. Edward Harlow, when a terrific explosion
took place, followed by others. The service, however,
was completed as arranged. Subsequently Mr.
Harlow wrote to The Times a letter in which he stated
that as long as life lasted he would remember with
admiration and pride "the perfect self-control and
cheerfulness of those eighty daughters of England,
some of whose homes were far away. Their behaviour
was superb." This communication drew from General
Sir Robert Baden Powell an appreciative letter
addressed to Mr. Harlow and another of congratu-
lation to the Folkestone Girl Guides.

Before the tense period of the raid was at an end
the members of the various organisations charged
with the duty of dealing with such an emergency
were hurrying to the various scenes of carnage and
destruction. In addition to the local Ambulance
Corps and the Fire Brigade, the Red Cross contingents,
the Canadian Army Medical Corps, the regular Police,
and the Special Constables were swiftly in attendance
to take part in the work of removing the dead and
conveying the injured to hospitals. It was a grim
and melancholy task, but it was efficiently and
expeditiously carried out. The lifeless bodies and
remains were conveyed to the Cemetery mortuary and
the Royal Victoria Hospital mortuary. The injured
were taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital and to
the West Cliff Hospital, until the accommodation

THE AIR RAIDS. Ill

became overtaxed, and then recourse was had to
the Hospitals at Shorncliffe. Medical and nursing
staffs worked devotedly throughout the night in
dressing the wounds of the injured and tending to their
various needs.

But perhaps the saddest and most distressing
scenes were those witnessed at the mortuaries in the
process of identification of the bodies by bereaved
relatives. In some cases there were only detached and
mangled remains to identify. Many relatives had
only become aware of their losses by the non-return
of some of their household. No attempt can be made
to describe the mingled feelings of fear and hope with
which they viewed the array of corpses. In one or two
instances the raid had reduced a family of three or
four to a single survivor. In the work of laying out
the bodies and remnants the Coroner's Officer (Mr. E.
J. Chadwick) worked assiduously and untiringly, and
tactfully rendered much assistance to the bereaved
ones.

The total number of people killed in Folkestone,
including three whose deaths occurred in the course
of the next week or two, was 71 — 16 men, 28 women,
and 27 children. No fewer than 61 of these resulted
from the explosion of the bomb which fell in Tontine
Street.

A list of those injured compiled at the time by the
authorities contained 96 names — 34 men, 50 women,
6 boys, and 6 girls — but there were others who did
not report their cases to the authorities.

If there be added to the number killed in Folkestone
the three fatalities at Cheriton and two at Hythe,

112 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

the total for the district is 76 (this being exclusive of
the soldiers killed at Shorncliffe).

Nineteen bombs were dropped at Lympne (where
there is an aerodrome), 19 at Hythe, 2 at Sandgate,
16 at Cheriton, and 18 on St. Martin's Plain and
Dibgate, Shorncliffe. On St. Martin's Plain four
soldiers were pitching a tent ; a bomb made a direct
hit, and the remains of the men had subsequently
to be gathered up in bags. Two huts were demo-
lished, the inmates being killed. One bomb fell near
the Shorncliffe Military Hospital, but failed to
explode. A lady stenographer in the open was killed.

The casualties amongst the soldiers at Shorncliffe
were 18 killed (16 of these being Canadians) and 90
wounded (86 being Canadians).

As previously remarked, it was the worst air raid
on this counry up to this stage of the war, so far as
the number killed was concerned. None of the
Zeppelin raids had caused so many deaths. In the
official return, published after the signing of the
Armistice, it was set forth that in the raid on May 25th,
1917, on Kent and Folkestone, 77 civilians were
killed and 94 injured, whilst 18 soldiers were killed
and 98 injured (these latter figures nearly all relating
to casualties at Shorncliffe).

During the whole war there was only one other raid
in which the casualty list was heavier than in that
which plunged Folkestone into mourning on May 25th,
1917. The other raid referred to was that of June
13th, 1917, when German aeroplanes dropped bombs
on Margate, Essex, and London, the casualties number-
ing : Civilians — killed 158, injured 425 ; sailors and
soldiers — killed 42, injured 7.

THE AIR RAIDS. 113

Several other towns on the coast of Kent suffered
from aerial invasion on numerous occasions, but in
the case of none of them were the casualties so many,
even all told, as at Folkestone on May 25th, 1917.
To take the experience of Dover, that town was
bombarded from the air on 18 occasions, yet the total
loss of life was only 13 men, 7 women, and 2 children,
the numbers injured being 35 men, 22 women, and 9
children. The number of bombs which fell on Dover
was 185.

Mr. Daniel Stringer Lyth, verger at Hythe Parish
Church, was one of the victims. The circumstances
were recounted in the Folkestone Coroner's Court,
Mr. Lyth having died in hospital in Folkestone.
The Vicar (the Rev. H. D. Dale) and his wife had
been engaged with the verger in the vestry ; hearing
explosions, they went out into the churchyard, where
a bomb fell, breaking tombstones and scattering
shrapnel and debris in all directions. Mr. Lyth was
hit on the leg by shrapnel, sustaining a mortal wound.
Mrs. Dale was slightly injured in the face. The Vicar
himself had a remarkable escape. He was struck on
the side, and on putting his hand in his coat pocket
he found there a piece of shrapnel, which had lodged
against a tin box that he was carrying.

The following communique was issued by the Field
Marshal Commanding-in-Chief, Home Forces, at
12.45 p.m. on Saturday, May 26th : —

"A large squadron of enemy aircraft, about 16

in number, attacked the south-east of England

between 5.15 and 6.30 p.m. last night.

"Bombs were dropped at a number of places,

but nearly all the damage occurred in one town,

114 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

where some of the bombs fell into the streets, causing
considerable casualties among the civil popula-
tion."

"Some shops and houses were also seriously
damaged.

' ' The total casualties reported by the police from
all districts are :

"Killed, 76; injured, 174.

"Of the killed, 27 were women and 23 children,
while 43 women and 19 children were injured.

"Aeroplanes of the Royal Flying Corps went up
in pursuit, and the raiding aircraft were engaged by
fighting squadrons of the R.N.A.S. from Dunkirk
on their return journey.

"The Admiralty report that three of the enemy
aeroplanes were shot down by the latter. ' '
The following announcement by the Secretary of
the Admiralty was issued at 1.10 p.m. on Saturday,
May 26th : —

"Naval aeroplanes carried out an attack on the
aerodrome at St. Denis Westram, near Bruges,
yesterday morning. Many bombs were dropped.

' ' In the evening several enemy aircraft, returning
from a raid on England, were engaged oversea by
R.N.A.S. machines. An encounter took place
between one British and three hostile aeroplanes
in mid-channel, and one of the latter was destroyed.

' ' Several encounters also took place off the Belgian
coast, in which two large twin-engined hostile
machines were shot down.

' ' All our machines returned safely. ' '
The report of German Main Headquarters, issued in
Berlin on Saturday, May 26, contained the following : —

THE AIR RAIDS. 115

"During the course of a successful raid one of

our air squadrons dropped bombs on Dover and

Folkestone, on the south coast of England. Long

distance flights inland also gave good results. ' '

It will be seen from the foregoing official reports

that it was the Germans who first mentioned the name

of Folkestone. For three days the authorities in

London refused to allow the English papers to specify

the exact town, the censorship being relaxed in time

for the dailies published on Tuesday morning to

announce that it was at Folkestone where the loss of

life had been so great.

So far this narrative has dealt only with the attack.
The reason is the all-sufficient one that there was
nothing else to record until the actual raid was
almost at an end. The explosions of the bombs
had almost, if not entirely, ceased before the anti-
aircraft guns upon the hills on the east side of the
town came into action. Possibly until then the
enemy planes could not be seen by or were out of range
of the batteries. In any case no hits were registered
by the "Archies," and the aerial invaders passed
from our shores scathless, although they were sub-
sequently engaged over the sea by English fighting
machines which went up from Dunkirk and the neigh-
bourhood to intercept them, and which brought
down three of their number. But how was it that
the Huns had not been attacked by British aviators
when they were travelling towards Folkestone ?
It was an amazing thing ! The enemy did not approach
Folkestone from the sea, but from inland. It sub-
sequently transpired that the Hun machines had passed

Il6 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

over North Kent into Mid Kent — they were heard,
but not seen, at Maidstone — until apparently they
reached the main railway line from London to
Folkestone, which latter town they passed over without
let or hindrance. The inhabitants who watched their
flight over Folkestone looked in vain for English
aeroplanes hastening to the attack. Why was it ?
Had someone blundered ?

Naturally enough questions were raised at the
inquests following the raid. There was the same note
of interrogation at the special meeting of the Town
Council held on the following day, and later the matter
was the subject of queries in Parliament. Certain
explanations and statements followed, and possibly
there were official enquiries behind closed doors, but
the matter was never wholly cleared up, or if it were,
the authorities did not see fit to take the public into
their confidence. A "high official" was reported by
a London newspaper to have stated that "it was
known that the fleet of aeroplanes was about. They
were reported at various places, but as it happened
they came over that town (Folkestone) at a great
height above a screen of clouds. The moment they
reached the edge of the clouds they had Folkestone
directly under them. That accounts for the populace
being so tragically taken unawares. It is certain
that hereafter an entirely new and thorough system
of notification will be introduced" — which is tanta-
mount to saying that there was something lacking
or unsatisfactory about the system in existence up
to that time.

The inquests were opened by the Borough Coroner
(Mr. G. W. Haines) on the evening following the raid.

THE AIR RAIDS. 117

Before the jurors viewed the bodies the Coroner said
it was a task that would try the nerves of the stongest
of them, but it was a painful duty that was cast upon
them. After the visit to the mortuaries the inquest
was adjourned till the following Tuesday. Mr. Arden
Blake was foreman of the jury. The first inquest
was upon the body of Mrs. Florence Louise Norris,
wife of Alfred Norris, of 30, Blackbull Road, who also
lost his daughter (aged 2 years) and his baby son
(10 months), only the father of the family circle of
four remaining. The verdict was "Death by bombs
from hostile aircraft, Great Britain being in a state
of war, and deceased at the time being a non-
combatant," the jury adding a rider to the effect
that they regretted that the competent authorities did
not give notice of the approach of the aircraft, and
that they were strongly of opinion that in future the
town should be warned by a siren or other such device.
[The Chief Constable (Mr. H. Reeve) had stated
during the hearing that as a rule he received a warning
from the military authorities when there was an
air raid, but on this occason he received no warning
at all, and knew nothing about it until the enemy
aircraft were over the town.]

A similar verdict was returned in other cases, the
court eventually being adjourned till Thursday,
when the remaining cases were taken. At the close
the jury proposed to add two riders, as follows : —

' ' (a) The jury condemn in the strongest
possible manner the negligence of the local and
military authorities in not having made arrange-
ments whereby the public could have been
warned. ' '

Il8 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

" {b) The jury are agreed as to the necessity
of removing from our midst all enemy aliens of
both sexes, and call upon the local authorities to
do all they can to have them removed at once. ' '

The Coroner asked to whom the first rider should be
sent, remarking that it was no use blaming the local
authorities, at any rate, as, however many warning
signals they might have had in the town, they would
have been of no use on the previous Friday, when no
warning was received in the town till the aeroplanes
were overhead.

The second rider was withdrawn, the Coroner
observing that there was no evidence to connect any
alien in the neighbourhood with that inquiry.

At the special meeting of the Town Council following
the raid the aliens question was alluded to, and it
was proposed by Councillor R. Forsyth, and seconded
by Councillor W. J. King-Turner, that a deputation
should wait upon the Home Secretary and ask that in
the interests of the town all aliens of enemy origin
should be removed from the district and their
businesses closed down. It was moved, however, as
an amendment, by Councillor C. Edward Mumford,
that the Home Office be asked to strengthen the
Secret Service in the town, this being seconded by
Alderman E. J. Bishop and carried by nine votes
to seven. Councillor R. G. Wood proposed a motion
expressing the Council's profound disappointment
that the town and district were not efficiently
defended from the German aerial attack, and the
hope that every effort would be made by the military
authorities to give the town better protection. This
was seconded by Councillor W. J. Harrison and carried,

THE AIR RAIDS. H9

and on the following Wednesday a deputation from
Folkestone and district had an interview with Field-
Marshal Lord French, Commander-in-Chief of the Home
Forces, on the subject of defence against attacks from
the air. Lord French, in reply, said that such
experience as they had showed that it was not possible
absolutely to prevent attacks by aeroplane, but that
the scheme of defence had been very carefully
considered in the past and had been reconsidered in
the light of the experience gained in the recent raid.
Even if it were not possible to prevent their coming,
he hoped that the measures which had been taken
would make any future raid a very risky operation,
and would ensure heavy loss to the enemy.

Following the raid, special services were held at the
various local churches, chief amongst them being a
very impressive and solemn memorial service at the
Parish Church on Saturday, June 2nd, at which the
Marquess Camden (Lord Lieutenant of Kent) was
present as the Representative of the King. The
Mayor and Corporation attended, being accompanied
by the Borough Member (Sir Philip Sassoon), the
Recorder (Mr. J. C. Lewis Coward), and many represen-
tative men, including nearly all the local Free Church
Ministers. The Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr.
Randall Davidson) gave an address, and, in addition
to the Vicar (Canon P. F. Tindall), the former Vicar
(Canon Erskine W. Knollys), the Rev. L. G. Grey
( Vicar of Christ Church), Canon C. Evelyn Gardiner
(Vicar of Holy Trinity), and the Rev. C. H. Griffith
(Vicar of St. Michael's) assisted in the service.

Eminently suited to the occasion was the address of
the Primate. In the course of an inspiring oration

120 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

he remarked : We are in, yes, in, the great war. We
are absolutely persuaded of the lightness, the
inevitableness for men and women of honour, of what
we did nearly three years ago, when duty and loyalty
to truth compelled us to enter in it. Well, of course,
we are not going to be simply flustered or frightened
because in carrying our great cause through — through
to victory — we are ourselves among those who
personally suffer. We in this corner of England, on
this Kentish coast, have the trust — would it be
exaggeration to say the solemn privilege? — of being
the bit of England nearest to the enemy. We are
proud of our sons and brothers who held the foremost
trench in action on the Somme, or in defence of Ypres,
or were the first over the parapet. Someone — or
rather some set of people — must be in the forefront.
So far as English soil is concerned, the people to whom
that special trust is given are we ourselves, we living
here in Folkestone and Dover, and Deal and Ramsgate,
and Canterbury. We mean to be worthy of it,
and, please God, we will. Of course, we want to secure
every reasonable protection that we can for those in
our homes who cannot be combatants. But war
brings peril — involves peril — and we are prepared to
face the peril bravely, and with quietness, and thus by
God's grace to give a wholesome lead to all who any-
where are apt to be nervous or excited, or afraid — all
who forget the assurance given at Patmos in a world
of tempestuous strife : " He laid His right hand upon
me, saying, Fear not, I am the first and the last, I
am He that liveth and was dead, and behold I am alive
for evermore. Amen. And I have the keys of death
and of Hades. ' '

THE AIR RAIDS. 121

Church and Nonconformist pastors united in a
service held in Radnor Park on Sunday afternoon,
June 3rd. There was a vast congregation numbering
several thousand people. An appropriate address
was delivered by the Rev. J. C. Carlile.

In the days immediately following the raid the
Mayor received many messages of sympathy, in-
cluding telegrams from the King and Queen. A
Relief Fund for the sufferers was opened, and speedily
assumed substantial proportions. Folkestone quickly
settled down to its usual diurnal routine. Early
in the morning after the raid there were workmen
engaged on the task of re-constructing Messrs.
Stokes' Greengrocery Emporium, and the whole town
' ' carried on. ' ' But there was a change in the local
' ' atmosphere. ' '

"Comfort, content, delight,

The ages slow-bought gain,

They shrivelled in a night. ' '
Gone was our complacency ; gone was that feeling
of security and immunity with which we had previously
pursued the even tenour of our way. The war had
been brought home to us with fierce intensity. There
was no actual panic, but the populace was braced up
to a tension which it had not known before, and it
was only natural that there should be a desire that
every reasonable precaution should be taken to
prevent a repetition of the calamity. With a view
to bringing pressure to bear upon the Government
and the Military Authorities, meetings were held at
the Hippodrome then existing in Linden Crescent.
Local opinion was divided as to the desirability of
this agitation, but I simply record the fact, and

122 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

have no intention of entering here into a discussion
of the pros and cons. Any way, before long more
anti-aircraft guns and searchlights made their appear-
ance in the neighbourhood, some being stationed in
Cherry Garden Avenue, whilst later a machine gun
was mounted on the roof of Avenue Mansions, Earl's
Avenue. Fresh "Archies" were also installed at
Westenhanger. Moreover, when, later in the summer,
the sirens were sounded in the day-time the in-
habitants were gladdened a few minutes after the
signal by the spectacle of English fighting machines
high up in the sky ready to give battle to any invaders.
It should be placed on record, in reference to the
question of defence against aerial attack, that before
the agitation in Folkestone, on the day after the raid,
in fact, Earl Radnor himself called at the War Office
and obtained the assurance that more guns would
be provided in the Folkestone district as soon as
they were available.

The question of installing the sirens alluded to
received the attention of the local authorities without
delay, and it was decided that there should be electric
sirens at the Town Hall and the Head Fire Station
in Dover Road, and steam sirens at the Public Baths,
Foord Road, and the Electricity Works at Morehall.
There was some divergence of view as to whether the
alarm should be sounded during the day only or
during the night as well. Some people held the opinion
that if a raid occurred after most folk had retired to
bed, it would be better not to arouse them, especially
as in all probability they would be just as safe in
bed as they would be anywhere else. It was, however,
strongly argued that the sirens should be sounded at

THE AIR RAIDS. 123

whatever hour of the day or night the Authorities
received a warning, and finally that view prevailed.

The provision of dug-outs or shelters was another
subject which engaged the attention of the Council,
and eventually refuges were specially constructed
at the top of Marshall Street, the rear of Mead Road,
the sandpit north of Radnor Park, the basement
of unfinished houses in Cheriton Road, Morehall,
Mr. Scrivener's coal stores (under Radnor Bridge
Arch), Darlington Arch, the old lime kiln at Killick's
Corner, and a dug-out in the chalk hill on the north
side of Dover Hill at Killick's Corner. The basement
of the Town Hall, the Technical School, Sidney Street
Schools, the Grammar School in Cheriton Road, the
store under Mr. Reason's house, there being a concrete
floor, and the new garage on The Bayle (used at that
time as a military guard room), it having a concrete
roof, were also open to the public after an alarm
had been received. The Martello Tunnel, near the
Junction Station, was also used as a shelter, the
Railway Company running a train into it for the
accommodation of those wishing to take cover there.
At the time there were no trains running to or from
Dover, owing to the line having been wrecked by the
landslip at the end of 1915. The shelter under the
Leas Parade (near the lift) was also available as a
refuge.

Later in the year the very existence of these so-
called shelters caused the authorities a good deal
of anxiety. When the air raids were ' ' in full blast ' '
the basement and Police Court at the Town Hall,
for instance, were full night after night. Many
people would wait near the Town Hall for the first

124 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

note of the siren. But even those who were not
experts in such matters thought that the Town Hall
(like most other buildings used as shelters) was not
bomb-proof, and that a direct hit on the building
would result in a catastrophe involving terrible loss
of life. Ultimately a military expert was consulted,
and his opinion was a sweeping condemnation of the
shelters. His view was that there was only one which
was bomb-proof, viz., the dug-out in the chalk hill
at Killick's Corner.

The great raid on Folkestone and the increasing
frequency of raids on South-East England by aeroplanes
had a serious effect upon the material prosperity of
the town. Many residents who had no local business
ties left the district for safer parts of the country,
as likewise did nearly every private school in the
town. There was also a decrease in the number of
visitors. Everybody was by this time fully convinced
that there was a war on. Still, Folkestone was
never reduced to the straits experienced by the East
Coast resorts.

The raid of May 25th proved to be the only daylight
raid on our town. Other parts of Kent, London,
Essex, and Suffolk were attacked by Hun aviators
in the day time during the summer, but not Folkestone,
and the inhabitants, or the majority, at any rate,
became less concerned as to the possibility of another
daylight raid. The moonlight raids did not commence
till the end of the summer. On one occasion, on the
morning of August 22nd, a great sensation was created
in the town by the spectacle of an aerial battle three
or four miles to the east of Folkestone. The Germans
were bombing Dover, and at one time there was a

THE AIR RAIDS. 125

prospect that we should also be visited, but the gunners
on the hill were putting up a barrage, and British
airmen were engaging the invaders. A thrilling
sight was presented by the manoeuvres of thirty or
more aeroplanes far up in the sky, and the conflict
was watched with keen interest, if not with some feeling
of apprehension, by thousands of residents and visitors,
who eventually had the satisfaction of seeing the
German aeroplanes wheel about and turn tail, followed
by their British antagonists. The invaders had been
driven off. An official record states that 21 hostile
aeroplanes passed over Capel aerodrome. On the day
on which this raid occurred the funeral of Councillor
S. W. Joseph, who had been killed in the tramway
smash at Dover, took place. At the time the battle
in the air was in progress the Mayor of Folkestone
and a number of his colleagues were journeying to
Dover by motors to attend the last sad rites. They
almost ran into the raid, and arrived at Dover as
the dead and wounded were being removed.

During the summer of 191 7 a score or more of
alarms were received, but nothing eventful happened
at Folkestone. As the summer waned, however,
there were indications that the Germans would rely
more upon nocturnal visitations, and the latter part
of September found us in the full experience of the
moonlight series. There were periods when the sirens
gave forth their shrill note several nights in succession,
and sometimes twice in a night. The warning was
proclaimed by ten short blasts, and the -'All clear " by
one long blast. All traffic in the streets was stopped
as soon as a warning was received, and those who

126 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

happened to be some distance from their homes some-
times found themselves obliged to undertake a long
walk. As already stated, there were various so-called
shelters, but the authorities eventually appealed to
the townspeople to remain in their homes. Some
listened to and acted upon this sound advice, but
others did not, and many children were taken to the
refuges night after night, with the result that on the
following day they were so drowsy during school
hours that they were unable to attend to their lessons.
Fires and seats were provided at some of the shelters,,
and in some cases refreshments.

Happily Folkestone was only bombed again once,
and then the missiles fell right outside the town.
This was on September 25th, when the warning was
sounded at 7. 11 p.m. and the "All clear" at 10.30
p.m. During the period between those times there
was a great deal of firing from the anti-aircraft batteries,
and between the shrieks of the shells heavier explosions
were heard. These proceeded from bombs which
were dropped, two on Castle Hill (commonly known
as Caesar's Camp) and three in the grounds of
the Waterworks adjoining, no real damage being
done. One fell into the reservoir, killing some small
fish. On the following day Mr. James Waite, the
Secretary of the Waterworks Company, took the
precaution of having a sample of the water analysed,
but no trace of anything deleterious was found. A few
bombs were dropped at Swingfield on this occasion,
but there were no casualties.

But if, save for the instance just recorded, we were
not bombed, there was ' ' liveliness ' ' enough and to
spare. The reports of the guns — in addition to those

THE AIR RAIDS. 127

stationed on land, there were those on the patrol
boats in the Channel, which put up a tremen-
dous barrage calculated to command the respect of
the bravest of the Hun airmen — the shriek of the
shells, the explosion of the same at the end of their
journey through space, the glare of the searchlights,
the Verey lights, with sometimes the staccato of
machine gun fire, combined to make the nights lurid
enough in all conscience. They were indeed nights
of stress and tension. "The pale-faced moon looked
bloody on the earth. ' ' Some of the anti-aircraft guns
were brought into the heart of the town on motors
and fired from the streets as opportunity offered.
The reason generally of all this commotion was that
many of the Gothas, after discharging their cargo of
bombs on London or some other place, returned over
Folkestone. Apparently they ' ' picked up ' ' the main
railway line, and followed its course till they neared
or reached Folkestone, when they turned out to sea,
where the lightships then stationed not far from the
Harbour helped them in shaping their course.

Hostile aircraft passed over the town on September
29th,-30th, 1917 (one believed to have been hit) ;
September 30th (one believed to have been hit) ;
October 19th (one or more Zeppelins : this was the
occasion on which several Zeppelins were blown or
"forced" out of their proper course and came down
in France) ; October 31st -November 1st (one machine,
thought to have been ' ' winged, ' ' was very low down,
so that it could clearly be seen) ; December 6th (three
hostile aircraft passed over to the north of the town,
from west to east, between 5 a.m. and 6.15 a.m.) ;
December 18th.

128 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

On the last-named date several enemy machines
returned via Folkestone between 8 p.m. and 9.15 p.m.
One Gotha was hit in the petrol tank by the guns at
Westenhanger. Its commander decided to make a
dash for "the other side," but found it impossible to
cross the Channel. The machine came down into the
sea about three miles from the Harbour Pier, five
white Verey lights and one green light being sent up,
in response to which signals H.M.A.T. "Highlander"
hastened to the rescue. The crew of the aeroplane
were three in number. An ober-lieutenant and a
first-class air mechanic were taken on board the
trawler, but the other man (the pilot) was entangled
in the gear of the machine, and died or was drowned.
The Gotha itself was destroyed by a time-fused bomb
(this must have been ignited by one of the Germans
who had sent up signals of distress), which exploded
just as the crew of the trawler were preparing to
bring it aboard. The mate of the vessel, Mr. Frank
William Henry Gee, aged 47, was so seriously injured
that he died on the following night. The two prisoners
were landed at Folkestone Harbour, and on the follow-
ing morning were sent to London under escort.
En route the ober-lieutenant told the corporal of the
guard that it was his third journey over to England,
and that he came from Belgium. Subsequently
various articles, which the crew of the " Highlander "
took into port, were returned to one of the Germans,
the original owner, it being stated in the official
correspondence on the subject that "the articles were
not a free gift, but given by one of the prisoners to
the crew to propitiate them, the prisoners imagining
that they would be badly treated." It should be

THE AIR RAIDS. 129

added that the explosion by which the aeroplane was
blown to pieces caused much speculation and some
consternation in the town, coming, as it did, after the
' ' All clear ' ' had been sounded.

According to an official communication reports from
reliable sources indicated that the Gotha was hit by
the guns at Westenhanger, but the gunners at Cherry
Garden Avenue also claimed a hit.

Coming to 1918, in this year twenty warnings were
received, the last being on August 24th, at 11.35 Pm-
Enemy aircraft passed over the town on January 29th,
February 16th (one apparently hit), February i7-i8th,
and May i9-20th (Whit Sunday, this being the last
occasion on which enemy aeroplanes travelled over
Folkestone). In the early part of 191 8 the two guns
which had been stationed at Cherry Garden Avenue,
mounted on lorries, were replaced by one heavier gun,
fixed in position on the ground. The first time it was
in action it scored a hit, but before it fired its 20th
shot it was disabled owing to the recoil spring
breaking.

According to the records of the Fire Brigade, the
numbers of air raid alarms received were : 1915, 1 ;
1916, 29 ; 1917, 52 ; 1918, 20. Total 102. In many
instances there were no local developments following
the siren's warning note, and the community would
have been spared much unnecessary anxiety had no
alarm been issued to the public, as was the case prior
to May 25th, 1917. In some cases there were raids on
more or less distant parts of England, but often there
was no official report to tell us what, if anything, had
happened, and frequently it was some town on the
French coast which was the objective of the Huns.

130 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

On some occasions we in Folkestone heard the anti-
aircraft guns at Dover and on the hills almost as soon
as the shrill notes of the sirens had died away. On
others there would be utter silence for a couple of
hours ; then one or more German aeroplanes would
approach from inland on the return journey to Belgium
or North Western France. Two alarms in one day
were not a rare occurrence. For instance, on Septem-
ber 29th, 1917, there was a raid alarm period from
6.5 p.m. to 6.45 p.m., and another from 7.45 p.m. to
1 a.m. Sometimes we had to stay up nearly all night
if we preferred not to retire till the ' ' All clear ' ' was
sounded. For example, on October 31st, 1917, the
alarm was sounded at 10.40 p.m., and the "All clear"
did not "go" till 3.15 a.m. Before long the truth of
the old saying, "Familiarity breeds contempt," began
to assert itself. The inhabitants, or many of them,
ceased to resort to dug-outs and shelters, even dis-
daining to descend to the basements of their houses.
If they were in bed they remained there, being by
this time convinced that they were as safe there as
anywhere else.

Throughout the air raid period the Fire Brigade
held itself in special readiness to deal with any out-
breaks of fire, there being four posts, viz., the Head
Fire Station in Dover Road, the West End Sub-Station
(adjoining the Pleasure Gardens Theatre), the Public
Baths, and Morehall Sub-Station.

CHAPTER VII.

THE CARE OF THE SICK AND WOUNDED.
By Various Contributors.

In the early days of the war Folkestone was
requested to report what buildings could be utilised
for the care of the wounded. The military hospital
accommodation on the Camp was largely increased,
and provision was made in the town. Morehall Schools
were furnished for the reception of patients, but not
used, as they did not entirely comply with the War
Office requirements.

The Royal Victoria Hospital set apart as many beds
in the wards as possible, and later placed others in
spacious corridors. The medical staff was depleted
by Dr. Linington leaving for France, where he did
great things in the operating theatre and in organising
hospital administration.

Dr. T. Eastes had charge of the X-Ray Department.
Dr. Tyson, who has worked like a Trojan all through the
war, was entrusted with making the arrangements with
the War Office, and finally it was agreed that a hundred
beds would meet the requirements. But how little were
the authorities able to foretell the results of the war.

Many ladies volunteered assistance ; the doctors'
wives undertook to furnish a number of beds. Mrs.
Linington collected nearly £100 for additional equip-
ment, and other ladies gave or lent bedding. French
and Belgian refugees were received as patients, and

132 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

generally the wards were kept very full. In all 1,760
wounded soldiers have been treated as in-patients, and
276 Belgian soldiers and 37 refugees. Large numbers
of minor cases have been treated in the out-patients'
department, and many were the expressions of
gratitude received by the Committee.

There were two occasions upon which the Hospital
was enabled to render exceptional service : one when
the French steamer, the Amiral Ganteaume, was
torpedoed in mid-Channel. This incident is described
in another chapter, but it must be recorded here that
the Victoria Hospital rendered magnificent service to
the poor sufferers by the medical staff and nurses
going to their aid and assisting in doing the first things
imperatively required. On the night of the disaster 37
bad cases were treated. Dr. Tyson and his colleagues
were in attendance for long hours, and the sisters
kept to their tasks all through the night. It is not
too much to say that a number of patients owed
their lives to the self-denial of the doctors and the
nurses.

It would be invidious to single out one institution
in the medical service more than another, and in the
Folkestone area the hospitals were particularly
fortunate in their medical and nursing staffs, and the
Victoria Hospital was among the most fortunate of
them all.

The other occasion was upon the night of the air
raid. Over 80 casualties were admitted, and before
midnight 25 bodies were laid out in the mortuary.
About six other victims died subsequently. It was
impossible for the Hospital to take all the patients.
Some of them were treated for their immediate needs

THE CARE OF SICK AND WOUNDED. 1 33

and then removed to Shorncliffe, where they remained
tor a few weeks, returning to the Victoria Hospital
to complete their recovery. Those who were in the
Hospital on that fateful 25th of May will never forget
the grim sight of the bodies huddled together in the
corridor, and the limbs brought in wrapped in blankets.
It was more terrible than a battle scene. It was so
ruthless and wanton in its savagery. There were the
bodies of women and little children, maimed and
shattered by the crime of war. The moans of the
sufferers were heard in every part of the building.
Nurses and doctors and voluntary workers rapidly
passed upon their errands of mercy and ministry of
healing. The Matron by her sympathetic words
comforted many a heart. Special constables and men
whose names are unrecorded brought patients to the
wards, and helped in the institution. Some members
of the Committee were with the present writer taking
names and addresses of patients, and assisting
bereaved people in identifying the killed, while
others went upon sorrowful journeys to relatives in
the town to tell them where the bodies of their loved
ones were resting.

Among the bright things of the war will stand out
the work of the medical organisations. What lives
they saved, what ministries of healing they accom-
plished. There will be criticism of some shortcomings
at this or that period, but when it is all told there will
be nothing more wonderful in the chronicles of the
war than the care of our wounded men, and among
the local records there is nothing brighter than the
story of the help rendered on the night of the air raid.
The staff of the Victoria Hospital, Miss Browne

134 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

(the Matron), with Sisters Lawson and McBeth, seemed
tireless in their efforts, and Mrs. Haines and Miss
A. Cearns did much useful work in the Wards.

The Matron and Sisters named were mentioned
in ' ' The Times ' list of October 20th, 1917, for valuable
services rendered during the war. Folkestone owes
them a debt which it can never repay.

The Bevan Hospital was opened almost immediately
upon the declaration of war. It originated in the
Voluntary Aid Detachment Kent 30 of the British
Red Cross, with Miss M. A. Mumford as Commandant.
The premises in Sandgate had been used as a Con-
valescent Home, though for a long time they had
been empty, and had fallen into a dilapidated
condition. The Commandant gathered together a
number of workers, who speedily transformed the
rooms and made them into one of the most comfortable
hospitals on the South East Coast.

After six months' work the hospital became an
annexe to Shorncliffe Military Hospital, and was
allowed to rank as Class A. From that time there
was a continuous influx of patients, including Imperial
troops, Australians, Canadians, and Belgians. The
medical staff included Drs. Calverley, Bradbury, Davis,
Fitzgerald, Hackney, and Perry, and for a short time
Drs. Stranaghan and Scoones. The central court was
entirely devoted to open-air treatment, and here the
most obstinate cases of septic poisoning were
rapidly cured ; so much, indeed, were the patients
benefited by their sojourn here that whenever any
of them for one reason or other were moved
indoors they invariably begged, even in wintry
weather, to be taken back. This open-air sea ward

THE CARE OF SICK AND WOUNDED. 135

was sheltered from the rains and winds by a transparent
roof and storm blinds, erected through private
generosity, and only in the event of the most severe
gale was this ward vacated.

Unlike many military hospitals, the kitchen depart-
ment at the Bevan was entirely managed by ladies,
who, with the aid of two salaried kitchen-maids,
undertook the whole of the culinary work. Under
their supervision every endeavour was made to send
up the different meals, not merely in sufficient quantity,
but skilfully and daintily cooked. Among the most
efficient workers in this department was the late Miss
Margaret Bishop. She was head of the staff. For
some months at the commencement of the war she was
at her post at four in the morning, and when she had
finished her duties went on to assist in canteen work.
Later she had entire charge, and spared no efforts
to make her department a success. There is no doubt
that her death was the result of over-work. She
was greatly beloved by her colleagues, and had the
respect of the patients with whom she came in contact.
It may be said of her as much as of any soldier in
the field that she willingly laid down her life for the
country. Her fragrant memory will linger with
many men who were wooed back to health by the
staff at the Bevan. A scholarship has been founded
by her father to perpetuate her memory. Mr.
Alderman E. J. Bishop has himself undertaken many
duties in connection with the war, not the least being
that of Chairman of the Refugees Committee.

More than 12,100 patients passed through the
Bevan, and there were 1,552 operations performed.
The men were loud in their praise of the doctors and

I36 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

the nurses. Miss Mumford received distinction at
the hands of the King, but perhaps her greatest
honour is in the fact that she made the hospital more
like a home than a public institution. Miss C. Dale
was Assistant Commandant, and Miss House Honorary-
Secretary. Mrs. Chambers had charge of the sanitary
and kit department.

The Canadian Hospitals were worked entirely by
the Military Authorities, and hardly come within
the range of this volume, and yet we would be loth
to omit them. The work at the West Cliff should be
known in Canada. The staff represented specialists
from all over the Dominion, with the assistance of
some of the most eminent men in this country.
Literally, wonders were performed in throat, eye, and
ear cases, while the special department called the
"nose factory" performed miracles. Men went in
terribly disfigured, whose faces would have been
horrors but for the surgeon's skill. They came out
bearing scarcely a trace of their disfigurement.
Sketches were made of the lost feature, a nose was
designed, and made up in model. Then thin cuttings
of bone were built in to the disfigured member, and
covered with flesh until, as one boy expressed it,
' ' they ceased to be frights. ' '

The hospital was visited by the Duke of Connaught,
Princess Louise and Princess Alexander of Teck,
in addition to the Prime Minister of Canada and many
well-known people from the Dominions, all of whom
expressed much pleasure with the arrangements for
the care of the sick and the wounded.

The Queen's Canadian Military Hospital, Beech-
borough Park, was operated and maintained by

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THE CARE OF SICK AND WOUNDED. I37

the Canadian War Contingents Association. This
body was organised among Canadians in August, 1914,
to supply extra comforts to the men of the Dominions
at the Fronts, and to maintain a hospital for the
general use of His Majesty's Forces. An offer was
made to the Army Council, through Queen Mary,
to maintain a hospital in connection with the camp.
Her Majesty has always taken the keenest interest
in the care of the wounded. The offer was accepted,
and the house and grounds at Beechborough Park
were lent by the late Sir Arthur Markham, M.P., and
Lady Markham, without whose assistance the hospital
could not have attained the reputation it enjoyed.

It was opened in October, 1914, with 55 beds.
In the summer of 1915 it was decided to erect four
new wards in the grounds ; a recreation room was
added, and an excellent operating theatre with the
latest appliances installed. Lieut. -Col. Sir William
Osier, Bart., M.D., and Lieut.-Col. Donald Amour,
C.M.G., both Canadians, were the Physician-in-Chief
and the Surgeon-in-Chief respectively. Lady Mark-
ham was the first Superintendent. The officers,
matrons; nurses, and V.A.D.'s were all Canadians.

The hospital was classed as a primary hospital for all
kinds of surgical cases. About 3,000 soldiers
passed through the wards, with only 30 deaths, which
is a great tribute to the care and attention given to
the very serious cases that were treated. Beech-
borough was the only Canadian hospital in the United
Kingdom supported by voluntary funds and open to
all the wounded soldiers of His Majesty's Dominions.
Sir George Purley was the President of the Association,
and Mr. J. G. Colmer, C.M.G., the Honorary Secretary.

I38 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

The hospital closed early in 1919. At that time, the
Officer in charge was Captain James Christie, the
Resident Medical Officer Captain A. J. Fisher, and
the Matron Miss Mitchell.

Folkestone residents arranged for concert parties
to visit Beechborough. Many local entertainments
were organised for the benefit of the patients, and
greatly appreciated. In this connection it may be
recorded that several residents, notably Mrs. Walter
Joseph and Miss Bridget Keir, in addition to the
choirs of several churches, regularly supplied concerts
for hospital patients and convalescents.

The Canadian Lodge of Freemasons in London
and the Masonic Order in the Dominions co-
operated with great cordiality, and contributed
liberally to the funds. The Canadian Red Cross
Society gave £1,000, and many individual donations
were received.

St. Andrew's Convalescent Home on the East
Cliff received during the last year of the war 342
soldiers, convalescents, and five sailors, making a
total of i,i2i during the war. The Report says :
"The Inmates were very happy and appreciative
of the Home. They improved very greatly during
their stay." It is interesting to note that 74 silver
badged men were sent by the War Pensions Committee
and others from private sources, men discharged from
the services in poor health and unfit for work. Three
or four weeks at the Home proved a sovereign remedy,
and sent them back to their occupations with strength
renewed.

Manor Court and York House Hospitals were
originally nursing homes arranged for private patients.

THE CARE OF SICK AND WOUNDED. 139

The owners, Miss Harrold and Miss Edden, placed
them at the disposal of the War Office. The medical
staff included : Dr. P. Lewis, Dr. Streatfeild, Dr.
Wainwright, Dr. Wilgress, also Dr. Palk and Dr.
Menzies, ophthalmic specialists.

The two houses had a total accommodation for
about 100 patients. Each had its operating theatre,
and all the appliances demanded by modern medical
and surgical science. These hospitals were very
popular. Many ladies offered their services, and
some even offered to pay for the privilege of working
in the wards. Local residents were generous in their
response to the appeals made for funds, and enabled
those responsible to brighten the rooms and add to
the comfort of the boys. In Manor Court Hospital
nearly three thousand patients were treated.
There were 180 major operations, and only nine
deaths. The nursing staff worked untiringly,
Miss Harrold and Miss Edden were the Matrons,
and succeeded in making the inmates very comfortable.
Sister Thompson and Sister Peetz set an example
that was magnetic.

In the early days Col. Reason, D.S.O., had the
supervision of the whole of the Medical Institutions
in the area, comprising fifty-seven hospitals. The
command became too large, and was divided into
districts.

Manor House Hospital, lent by the owners, was
opened about the end of October, 1914. The beautiful
residence used to be the home of the Earl of Radnor,
and it made a charming little hospital of 90 beds.
The Commandant was the Hon. Florence Daly, and
the V.A.D. carried on the work of the institution

I4O FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

throughout the War. The first convoy consisted
of 50 Belgians. In November the stream of British
wounded began to pour in. In the spring five
tents were erected in the garden ; the number of
beds was increased to 120. Of these, 10 or 12 were
always available for officers.

3,392 patients were received ; 2,136 were British-
There were 976 Canadians, 170 Australians, no
Belgians. Many out-patients were also treated.
During the whole time there were only six deaths,
which is eloquent testimony to the work of the in-
stitution.

The medical staff consisted at first of Drs. Chambers,
Evans, and Wood, with Dr. Gore and Dr. Dodd as
physicians. Dr. Tyson was consulting physician,
and Mr. J. Walton dentist. When Dr. Evans joined
the R.A.M.C. and went to France Dr. Eastes was
added to the staff. Miss Crawford was appointed
Matron, and the Hospital owed much to her powers
of organization.

The people of Folkestone were very kind to the
patients. Gifts of all sorts arrived at the Hospital,
and extra pleasures and comforts were provided.
Entertainments and motor drives for those who
we re able to go out did much to break the monotony
of convalescence.

A considerable amount of unobtrusive, but very
useful work was done by the men's V.A.D.'s. There
were two Voluntary Aid Detachments in Folkestone
at the outbreak of War. One was V.A.D. Kent 9,
which was raised by the Folkestone and Sandgate St.
John Ambulance Brigade, of which Mr. F. A. Adams
was the Commandant and Mr. John Strood the

THE CARE OF SICK AND WOUNDED. I4I

Quartermaster. The other was V.A.D. Kent 43,
raised by the British Red Cross Society, with Mr. H. O.
Jones as Commandant, and Mr. W. C. Marsh as
Quartermaster.

V.A.D. Kent 9 at once responded to the order for
mobilization issued in October, 1914, and took up
duty in assisting to gi\e skilled aid to the thousands
of Belgian soldiers brought to the Harbour.

The Voluntary Aid Detachment under the
command of Mr. H. O. Jones, Chief Officer of the
Folkestone Fire Brigade, was formed from the Special
Constables, and finally was recognised by the British
Red Cross Society as a separate unit : V.A.D. Kent 43.

The work of these men at the Harbour was of a
trying nature, especially when it is remembered that
they were engaged in their own occupations during
a considerable part of the day. They received the
wounded as they arrived, in every conceivable kind
of craft, totally unfitted for the conveyance of suffering
men whose wounds were undressed, or at best only
roughly bandaged.

It was the task of the men of the detachments to
make the sufferers a little more comfortable ; to
remove them on stretchers from the ships ; to carry
them to the trains, and often to go with them to
render assistance on the journey. Some of the men
engaged in this work were on duty for over thirty
hours consecutively. It is estimated that the detach-
ments dealt with more than 7,000 wounded soldiers.

Wounded British soldiers began to arrive in con-
siderable numbers at the end of 1914, for treatment
in local hospitals. The method of working was
for telephonic messages to be sent from the Military

142 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

Hospitals to Mr. H. Evans and Mr. H. 0. Jones,
stating the probable time of arrival of the hospital
train, and giving the number of stretcher and walking
cases. The officers called up their available men
and reported to the medical officer in charge, by whom
they were detailed for special duty.

Stretchers were prepared on the platform, and the
men stood by until the train arrived, which often meant
waiting several hours. On the coming of the wounded,
walking cases were taken in cars, lent by residents,
and by motor chars-a-banc, while the cot cases, on
stretchers, were placed in ambulance wagons. The
cases were then distributed to local Hospitals. One
hundred-and-twenty-one hospital trains, with 12,300
wounded, were attended to by V.A.D. men.

Mr. Evans, the Area Transport Officer, received, in
common with his colleague, many expressions of
appreciation from the Military Authorities on the
Camp, and the work of the Corps was of great value.
Major Reason bore testimony to the ability and un-
selfishness of the Corps.

Members of V.A.D. Kent 43 undertook, for nearly
two years, regular duty as orderlies at Manor Court
Nursing Home, and until the spring of 1918, Sunday
orderly duty, with occasional all-nights reliefs to the
regular staff of the Bevan Hospital. Kent 9 did
duty at the Manor House, which was staffed entirely
by members of St. John Ambulance Brigade. In the
early days of 191 5 the detachment formed a squad
of men, under an officer, for duty during the night
at the Harbour, and at the request of the Chief Con-
stable squads of trained ambulance men took duty
at the Police Station each evening, to attend to the

THE CARE OF SICK AND WOUNDED. 143

numerous accidents which occurred, owing to the
traffic in the darkened streets.

The men had charge of the Emergency Hospital,
arranged by the Town Council, at the Technical
Institute, in case of air raid casualties. Fortunately,
it was only required on one occasion, May 25th, 1917,
when the V.A.D.'s, though they did not receive the
usual warning from the Military Authorities, turned
out as soon as the bombs commenced to fall, and
did what was possible to mitigate suffering in the
streets and at the hospitals. Previously to 25th May,
1917, there were no public warnings other than the ex-
tinguishing of street lamps and orders to drivers of
vehicles to put out their lights. A squad of men were
nightly on duty at Dover Road. The members of
both detachments were warned from the Fire Station
when hostile aircraft were known to be actually
approaching the district. The men proceeded to their
duties, and remained until the ' ' All Clear ' ' sounded.
Over one hundred air raid warnings were issued
by the Military Authorities, through the police, from
1915 to 1918.

The Military Authorities in 1917 called for the
formation of a Voluntary Field Ambulance to be
ready to co-operate with the Royal Army Medical
Corps for coastal defence. Men of the V.A.D. joined
almost en bloc, and constituted the Folkestone Section
of Kent No. 1 V.A.D. Provisional Field Ambulance,
with headquarters at Canterbury, and its war station
at Deal. In January, 1918, the Kent R.A.M.C.
Volunteers were raised and equipped by the War
Office. The V.A.D. Provisional Field Ambulance
formed the nucleus of the Corps. The Folkestone

144 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

section, which acted as "C, " 329 Field Ambulance,
R.A.M.C., was under the command of Dr. W. W.
Linington, as Major ; Dr. E. L. Pridmore was Captain,
Mr. H. O. Jones Lieutenant, and Mr. H. Evans
Lieutenant-Quartermaster. Both Major Linington
and Captain Pridmore subsequently joined the
Regulars, and the command was, in September, taken
over by Dr. E. D. Fitzgerald. Had there been need,
the Company was fully equipped to undertake work
in France, or on the coast.

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CHAPTER VIII.

SOCIAL LIFE IN WARTIME,
By Ernest R. J. Mackway.

Much of Folkestone's social life was woven into
socks and stitched into shirts.

The presence of a common danger humanised the
people, as it were ; breaking down those sharp barriers
of distinction which years of peaceful prosperity had
set up. A snow-storm very often has the same
transitory effect.

The town got to know itself better. Sorrow brought
a wondrous surge of sympathy, and difficulties the
desire for mutual help ; and so, beneath the gathering
clouds of war, the social life whirled in unaccustomed
circles. Are we the better for it ? Tempus omnia
revelat.

It is night. The air is heavy with grim stillness.
Suddenly the warning sirens shriek in sinister dis-
sonance. Again the portentous stillness. Great shafts
of light sweep into the ebon vault, and there comes
the muffled moan of distant guns. Then the weird
horrific hum of engines in rising crescendo . . . the
roar of near-by artillery . . . the sprinkle of shrapnel
on slated roof. Another air raid ! To the nearest house !
"Why, certainly, come in at once," says the host.
' ' What will you have — brandy or coffee ? Yes,
these raids are a bit startling, but it's part of the war,
I suppose. Let's put out the light and see what's

I46 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

going on. . . . Look at the shells bursting. . .
Gad, but I hope they hit 'em ! ' ' And so on till the
' ' All clear ! ' ' sounds, and the shelterers leave their
kindly host with another friendship formed. In years
to come you may hear men speak of how they first
met So-and-so during an air raid.

It is a cheap cynicism to say that Folkestone
never fully realised there was a war on until Conscrip-
tion came into force, but it is nevertheless true that
the coming of the Military Service Act, with its ever-
increasing tentacles, very considerably altered the
social aspect of things. The men who were soldiers
by profession and those who had volunteered for the
stern work of War had gone, in mysterious silence,
to God knew where. Vague tales of disaster filtered
through, and sometimes you would hear a depressed
and tired warrior declare that we could never win.
Yet Folkestone, in common with all England, never
lost heart. We would ' ' muddle through ' ' somehow,
and we did, in very truth, muddle through.

When, however, the call came for all men who could
be considered in any way fit to bear arms, there were
very considerable heart -searchings and knee-quakings,
and Tribunals and Appeal Tribunals assumed an
importance far, far above that of a world conflagration
or a cosmic cataclysm. One envied not the Mayor
and his colleagues who were suddenly charged with
the responsibility — the very grave responsibility — of
sending their fellow townsmen to the Forces, yet,
to the Government, which is the people themselves,
it became a very necessary thing. Thus, fathers
were torn from their families, husbands from their
wives, and sons from their mothers, and so the whole

SOCIAL LIFE IN WARTIME. I47

social fabric seemed ever-changing. The kiddies were
proud to think of their soldier daddies, but the mothers
who were left behind knew what they had to face.
Some people have publicly declared that the way the
wives fought and overcame difficulties has been one
of the miracles of the War. Men faced perils with
pals and platoons ; the women vicariously faced those
perils in silent solitude, and, until the blessed day of the
Armistice, the terror of evil tidings was ever present.
To those to whom that terror came, to those who
gave their all for England, we stand in respectful
homage, trusting that, while the passing years may
calm the stricken soul, the memory of their sacrifice
will never fade.

That is a tribute we owe and which we gladly pay.
But it must not be taken that a settled gloom descended
upon the inhabitants of Folkestone. That was far
from being the case, as we shall seek to show in the
ensuing pages, the object of which is to attempt to
reflect the social spirit in the diversity of its expression.

It was said that practically no visitors came to
Folkestone during the greater part of the War period.
How could they, it was asked, when so many houses
had been taken over by the Military Authorities,
while others had been vacated by occupants who
went in search of more peaceful climes ? Yet, in point
of fact, Folkestone, probably in the whole course of its
career as a fashionable South Coast watering-place,
never entertained greater crowds of visitors. From
the four corners of the earth they came — the dusky
Hindoo, the slant-eyed Oriental, the stalwart Anti-
podean, the resolute Canadian. It was, as it seemed,
the gathering-place of the peoples of the world, the

I48 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

focus-point of the League of Nations, speaking many
tongues, but unified in one common, set purpose — the
Triumph of Right.

For the most part these were as ships that pass
in the night. But the Canadians stayed, and Folke-
stone speedily became a suburb of many a Dominion
City. Indeed, it may be said that Folkestone was
completely Canadianised. The town took the boys
to its heart immediately, and during the years the
Canadian troops were stationed here the warmest
possible feeling existed between them and the towns-
people, while the higher commands and the civic
authorities were cemented by very real friendship.
The formation of the Canadian Club, which brought
to Folkestone so many eminent men, set the seal to
this. The various social clubs of the town were thrown
open to those from the Land of the Maple Leaf ;
brethren of the Masonic Craft held many happy unions
and reunions ; and institutions sprang up like
mushrooms for the entertainment of the men.

Meanwhile Folkestone gradually absorbed many of
the customs and quaint terms of expression so
characteristic of Canada. You forgot to say ' ' Yes, ' '
because ' ' Sure ! ' ' was much more fashionable, and
you never spoke of having had a good meal. ' ' Good
eats" was the correct equivalent. So, too, did our
young people try to imitate the "semi-nasal twang"
they thought so ' ' fetching, ' ' and learned to dance
and "rag" and sway as their Transatlantic friends
would have them do.

So, out of this commingling of people speaking the
same mother tongue arose many .a happy romance
which ended in rice and confetti at Folkestone churches,

SOCIAL LIFE IN WARTIME. I49

or in quiet plighted word at a registry office, and war
brides awaited with impatience the day when they
would sail for the Promised Land. And if, in some
cases, romance was shattered and deceit claimed its
victim, well, the greater is greater than the less, and
human nature, as a whole, rings good and true. The
coming of the Canadians opened up possibilities for
the girls of this country which, but for the War, might
never have been.

In the absence of the men, the women carried on
but not in a perverted sense admirably. We saw
the trim-figured W.A.A.C's. either at work here or
marching down the Slope on their way to France.
We saw the patient, tired-faced nurses, the W.R.A.F's
and the W.R. (e) N.S. and, occasionally, the rosy-
cheeked women of the Land Army, smocked and
breeched and legginged, exuding radiant health.
The banks opened their desks to lady clerks and
perhaps were sorry they had not done so before, and
behind the counters of nearly all the shops your wants —
from ironmongery to ham — were attended to by
women. Here again was the social life changing.
Girls who had never been "out" before knew what
it was to draw a wage that had been well and truly
earned, and life opened out to them a new perspective.
To the credit of a great many, let it be gratefully
recorded that after a hard day in shop or office they
donned their V.A.D. nursing rig and ministered to
the comfort of our broken boys, or worked in canteen
or club for the entertainment of the fit. Yes, all the
while, the women were behind the armies — steadfast
and unfailing.

Thoughts of the troops, fearlessly fighting on all

150 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

Fronts, were never absent. Loving hands tied many
a parcel of cheer and comfort, and restless fingers
ceaselessly stitched and knitted, weaving into the wool
something which was more than sympathy. Sewing
parties in those days were sewing parties indeed.
There was no time for the social scarifier to work.
The talk was of the boys — always the boys — save
perhaps when the rationing of food became necessary.
That struck a big blow to social hospitality. It was
not easy to give a dinner-party and request your
guests to bring their own meat ; and meatless con-
coctions threw rather more responsibility on your
kitchen staff than you cared to allow.

The food question, indeed, calls for passing reference.
At first we bound ourselves in honour not to eat more
than so much bread per diem, and declared to the
world the sincerity of our undertaking by notifying
the fact from our front windows. Moreover, we
diligently studied economy, and regarded waste of
any kind as a cardinal sin. Then we sought to solve
the mystery of substitution, which was difficult to
our custom-bound selves, for can any sane Britisher
imagine anything else for breakfast but bacon and
eggs ? Yet something had to be found, and although
Empires began to totter around us, the British Con-
stitution held fast. When queues began to form
outside provision shops, and one saw, with infinite
regret, little children standing in the cold and rain,
it was realised that drastic steps were necessary if
there was to be equality of distribution, and thus
rationing came into being.

So, like good and loyal citizens, we adjusted ourselves
to new circumstances. What we had looked upon as

SOCIAL LIFE IN WARTIME. 151

butter, margarine, and lard now became "fats,"
and certain delicacies with which, in the past, we had
endeavoured to stimulate our jaded appetites were
now known under the generic and hideously offensive
title of "offal." Dear, respectable ladies held up
their hands in pious horror when told they could
have offal, and, forsooth, it was not nice to refined
ears ; but, mirabile dictu, it grew to be a cherished
word. If you went to a tea party you were expected
to take your own sugar. In fact, your first gay words
on entering a house were, "I've brought my sugar,"
at the same time producing a dainty little silken bag,
or, if you were rich and well-favoured, a costly but
convenient silver pocket casket. When the milk
supply threatened to become short one hoped that no
friend of D.O.R.A. was watching when one of your
guests said she always regretted the American War
because it introduced condensed milk.

"Dora," to tell the truth, became an obsession.
She grew to be a very real and terrible person, with
unlimited powers and a positive genius for "butting
in" where she was least wanted. Mrs. Grundy was
unpleasant and unpopular enough in all conscience,
but "Dora" was a horror which stalked by night and
by day, implacable and incorruptible — Argus-eyed
and relentless — in a word, a nuisance, but, as all will
admit, a necessary nuisance. A protean guardian of
the Realm, she could assume numerous appearances
and personalities — from a Staff Officer to a Special
Constable, and you never really knew how "Dora" was
going to turn up. If you were mad enough to commit
some heinous crime against the King and his Crown,
"Dora" was seen in the characters of a Court Martial

152 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

and a firing squad one dread morning. If you thought-
lessly sketched a fishing boat leaving the harbour,
"Dora" might come in the guise of a Red-cap ; while if
you were guilty of the colossal folly of telling an absent
friend what happened on the night of so-and-so at
such-and-when, "Dora" might sail in as a policeman in
the full dignity of the Law. If, perchance, you left
a light burning, and it threw a wedge of brilliance
across the footpath, "Dora" became a Special Con-
stable who faithfully investigated how and by what
means ' ' that there light ' ' was showing, contrary to the
provisions of sub-section mi, section 2222 of the
Consolidated (2) Order (59) of the Defence of the
Realm Regulations, 1914-1918.

The Lighting Order, by the way, led to many other-
wise perfectly respectable persons being haled before
the Court of Summary Jurisdiction. A Magistrate
once said to a military witness, "Could a Zeppelin
have seen the light ? " " Can't say, ' ' replied the man,
' ' never been in a Zeppelin. ' ' Another witness declared
that at a certain house a naked light was showing.
The defendant indignantly protested that it could
not be naked as it had a mantle ! So we all hid our
lights under bushels of coverings, thereby saving
many fines, and, in the streets, we groped about in
the inky blackness, barging into trees, falling off
kerbs, cannoning off walls into people, and, for the
first time in our lives, envying the cats, which, it is
said, are gifted with nocturnal vision.

Harking back for a moment to the Food Question,
the people, urged by the Government, went in for
gardening with amazing enthusiasm. Men and women
who, mayhap, thought that potatoes grew on trees for

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all they knew of agriculture dug and delved in their
newly acquired allotments, and, assisted by text books
and the practical wisdom of experienced gardeners
(for there is an open-hearted camaraderie among
those who would seek Nature's gifts), grew highly
creditable crops, as a big vegetable show held in the
Town Hall in the autumn of 1918 demonstrated.
Unkindly folk spoke lightly of "the luck of the
innocents," but it was something more than that.
Previously, except at meetings of the Gardeners'
Society, it had been rare to hear men wax ecstatic
over a tuber, or speak in dithyrambic terms of a
cabbage, a cauliflower, or a Brussels sprout, yet now
the points of a well-grown vegetable were weighed
and debated with meticulous care, and he was a happy
soul whose leeks excelled in quality those of his
colleagues. Gardening, then, played an important role
in the social life of Folkestone, and who shall say that
the people, despite their aching backs and strained
muscles, were not the better for getting nearer Nature's
heart ?

Those recreative centres, the Clubs, went quietly
on their way, the members who remained behind
making it a point of honour to ' ' carry on ' ' (no matter
the difficulties), so that when the absent ones returned
to the fold they should find things as they left them.
Thus the Rowing Club maintained its position,
although, of course, no sculls were seen in feverish
competition, as of yore. Bowls were always popular,
especially among the convalescent Tommies, and tennis
attracted its votaries. Golf revivified the tired towns-
men and kept officers "in the pink," and while there
was but little cricket or football, baseball, with its

154 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

* ' Fan ' ' and its extraordinary ' ' barracking, ' ' appealed
to the residents, but particularly to the Canadians,
whose own game it was. The Folkestone Club was the
scene of many a merry gathering of wounded who
enjoyed a generous hospitality. Nor were the children
forgotten.

Reformers have regretted that so much of our social
life has centred in the public houses. Still, for our
present purpose, we must take things as we find them.
One of the papers crystallised the new conditions as
applying to the ' ' pubs ' ' when, in a comic illustration,
a faithful follower of Bacchus up-to-date exclaimed
vehemently, "Yus, this his an 'orrible war. Why,
look at the price of beer ! ' ' But while the price of
beer went up alarmingly, the hours of supply were
cut down in a very determined way, and so it became
increasingly difficult to emerge into that happy state of
vinous exultation whence one is supposed to view
things through rose-tinted glasses — which was just
what the Central Control Board were aiming at. The
cry was for national efficiency and the maximum
output of labour, not to mention the safeguarding of
the troops from temptation.

Thus it became impossible to purchase drink save
between the hours of 12 and 2.30 and between 6 and 8,
and no officer or soldier proceeding overseas could,
under any pretext whatever, be served. This led to
not a little indignation, and, indeed, it did seem to
the superficial mind something more than a hardship
that those who were on their way to the sternest
possible duty — to face the hideous perils of modern
warfare — were denied their glass, while those living
at home in comfort and relative safety could have just

SOCIAL LIFE IN WARTIME. 155

what they liked to pay for. But there was no doubt
excellent reason for the Order, and it has been eagerly
admitted that the licensed victuallers did their very
utmost to carry out such drastic regulations amid a
sea of perplexities which are not always appreciated.
Whether the general restrictions had anything to do
with the increase in drug-taking or the fostering of
industrial unrest elsewhere, it is no business of ours
here to enquire. Folkestone, at any rate, cheerfully
accepted the position and made the best of it.

Was the "No-treating" Order actually resented or
not ? It is a little difficult to say. It certainly
struck at a time-honoured custom, rendering all those
defying the regulation amenable to criminal prosecution.
Of course the law was evaded time after time, as laws
always will be. In that it put a stop to ' ' group drink-
ing, ' ' which no sane man ever justified, it was benefi-
cent legislation ; in that it prevented the friendly
exchange of a glass as between two old pals, it was,
perhaps, open to criticism. Again, when it became
unlawful for a man to buy for his wife a glass of wine
or stout (and habits are not easily broken) it seemed
as though we had reached the reductio ad absurdum.
However, the greater must ever include the lesser ;
and, with a vagrant "grouse" or two, the inevitable
was accepted in the hope of better times to be.
With the coming of the Armistice some of these far-
reaching Orders fell into desuetude ; but never was the
hope expressed that we should eventually revert to the
"bad old times" when the public houses were open
continuously from very early in the morning till late at
night, with so little opportunity afforded the landlord
or his staff to enjoy the benefits of God's good air.

156 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

Coincident with the emergence of women and girls
into winningly aggressive activity in helping England
inher hour of need came the extension of the Franchise
to all ladies over 30 years of age, and, for the first time,
those of the gentler sex who did not mind admitting
that they were more than thirty cast a Parliamentary
vote in December, 1918. They regarded this business
quite earnestly, as all Suffragists knew they would,
although, in the very nature of things, there could be no
great political excitement. All parties, however much
divided on other matters, coalesced for a Win-the-War
Government, and so they returned the Sitting Member
(Major Sir Philip Sassoon) who had done and was
doing important and responsible work on Sir Douglas
Haig's staff somewhere in France. A little side-show
was put up by the newly-formed Labour Party, and
although this was not taken too seriously, still it added
interets to the contest, which would otherwise have
been as flat as yesterday's paper.

From the point of view of the amusement caterers,
there possibly never were such times. Night after
night the Pleasure Gardens Theatre, where the best
productions "on the road" could be seen, presented
the appearance of solid, hard-packed masses of khaki,
and similar conditions obtained at the Kinemas. The
imposition of the Entertainments Tax made not one
penny difference to the audiences, although it amounted
to millions the country over for the Government.
A noteworthy development was the scheme of Sunday
evening concerts for soldiers and their friends in the
Leas Shelter, and a few explanatory words in this
special connection will not be tnal-a-propos.

It was felt that something should be done to provide

SOCIAL LIFE IN WARTIME. 1 57

a reasonable attraction for soldiers, who, if they did
not elect to go to church (and there were a great
many who did not), had only the public houses to visit,
or the cold, dark, wet, and dreary streets to roam about
in. A Committee was formed, and it was arranged to
give special Sunday evening concerts for the khaki
lads and their friends in the Queen's Kinema, the Town
Hall, and the Leas Shelter. At the Queen's Kinema
and the Town Hall the concerts did not realise
expectations.

The Queen's was possibly not well enough known,
and the big room at the Town Hall had been turned
into a Restaurant for Soldiers — an institution which
won ever-increasing respect as a place where Tommy
could get a good square meal at a reasonable figure
" ' according to schedule. ' ' But the Leas Shelter, quite
a small place dug into the cliff, had a very different
story to tell.

Sunday evening after Sunday evening great crowds
of the khaki-clad, together with their lady friends,
packed the Shelter, while on the entrance decks
without (so carefully screened that not a glimmer of
light showed seawards) the boys assembled in such
density that passage-way was impossible. Within,
the stringed orchestra played popular and pleasing
pieces, and vocalists lent acceptable variety. Not a
penny was charged, but it used to be suggested that
the visitors might like to contribute (if they cared to)
a penny or so to meet expenses, any surplus going
to provide comforts for wounded soldiers then lying
in the military hospitals in Folkestone. So successful
did the concerts prove, and so much were they
appreciated by the troops, that not only were expenses

158 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

easily met, but a considerable amount of money was
spontaneously and gladly given, wherewith to provide
the ' ' Blighty ' ' boys with cigarettes, stamps, stationery,
newpapers, and all those little comforts which the
wounded so greatly valued, and which showed they
were not entirely forgotten.

But a concert lasting from 6.30 till 8 was not enough
for the troops, and so it was arranged for them to have
an ' ' impromptu ' ' hour. Anyone was invited to give
a sample of his or her artistry, and many delightful
times were spent, this Sunday hour proving an in-
exhaustible mine of musical and dramatic talent of a
standard which again showed that the Army, the Navy,
and Air Force had seized unto themselves all that was
best and brightest in young manhood. Men from all
parts of the British Dominions will remember Sunday
evenings in the Folkestone Leas Shelter.

From time to time sports were arranged on the
Athletic Ground, and one which particularly leaps to
mind is the meeting of the W.A.A.C.'s when the little
khaki ladies nobly battled for supremacy in all kinds
of strenuous sport — racing, high jumping, relays, and
so on, showing amazing endurance and unconquerable
enthusiasm. The W.A.A.C.'s, who had their head-
quarters at the Hotel Metropole, were exceedingly
popular and it was not long before the soldiers ' ' palled
up ' ' wit'h their friends of the Women's Army, couples
in khaki being the rule rather than the exception.
Khaki, the pervasive colour-scheme of Folkestone at
that time, was useful if not alluring, so perhaps it was
as well that the great majority of the W.A.A.C.'s had
disappeared before their sisters of the W.R.A.F.'s came
on the scene in their more attractive costume-uniforms

SOCIAL LIFE IN WARTIME. 159

of bewitching light blue — as blue as the skies through
which the pilots drove their speedy planes.

We lived in an age of rumour. A thoughtful Town
Council had arranged for official telegrams to be posted
up as they were received, in the Town Hall window, and
immense crowds gathered from time to time to ascertain
the latest intelligence. Never, perhaps, did faces
appear graver than when the wires recorded the watery
grave of Lord Kitchener. Following an air raid
warning, everyone was on the alert to know "where
they had been ' ' and the extent of the damage. Tales
travelled, losing nothing in their telling, but it was not
until long after the Armistice that the full facts were
known to the general public. We heard about spies,
of war babies, of Russian hordes passing through
England ; but one of the most astounding stories was
that connected with the flares of the Dover barrage.
It was solemnly stated, and believed by not a few, that
the flares liberated certain rays which either brought
down enemy aeroplanes, or so interfered with the
machinery and instruments, that airships became
unmanageable. The facts that Edison was said to
have been closeted up in a long and mysterious
silence and that five Zeppelins lost themselves in
France lent colour to this preposterous tale, which,
nevertheless, brought solace to those to whom air
raids were as the flapping of the wings of Death.

The world now knows the story of those flares, and
of the part they played in the defeat of German U-boat
infamy.

CHAPTER IX.

CANADIAN LIFE IN FOLKESTONE.

By The Editor.

Canada was among the very first to respond to the
Call of the Mother Country in her need. Within
seven weeks of the outbreak of hostilities, the Land of
the Maple Leaf had created an Army which ranked
second to none in spirit and courage. Canada came
into war by the side of England not for the first time
in her history. She sent a gallant little force to join
the liberators of India in the days of the Mutiny ;
and in the South African War more than 7,000
Canadians were with the British troops. In this War
she played a noble, sacrificial part.

Who shall tell the story of her achievements ?
She came in to the conflict having least to gain in
material things ; for her there was no question of
territorial increase, no neighbouring lands that could
become new parts of the Empire and fall under her
influence, as in the case of South Africa, Australia, and
New Zealand. She was not threatened by alien races.
She had complete self-government, and could not
look for greater liberty in managing her own affairs,
as may be the case in India and some of the Crown
Colonies. Canada is a daughter ; in her own home
she reigns as queen. Her gain must be of a moral
nature, an intangible sentiment, something that
cannot be set down in figures or measured in miles,

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but is an infinitely more valuable asset than any
Treasury can show. Rudyard Kipling said the greatest
gain of the War would be the greatening of the soul
of the nation. That undoubtedly will be Canada's
reward.

The First Contingent came to Salisbury Plain.
They will remember it, not for its association with
Stonehenge and the rites of Druid worship, or for the
quaintness of many of its ancient buildings, or even tha
charm and mystic sentiment embodied in its beautiful
cathedral, the Canadian boys will remember Salis-
bury by its mud. What a contrast to the Camp at
Valcartier, among the lovely Laurentian Mountains.
There the open roads, with broad paths and electric
lights, offered an invitation, even to tired men, to
take a stroll. But Salisbury ! with its mud over the
boots, and the rain that seemed to fall incessantly !
The boys

"from Montreal,
From Quebec, and Saquenay,
From Ungava, Labrador,
And all the lands about the Bay
Which old Hudson quested for,"
gave themselves to forming fours, and the equipment
for war. They were eager to get away.

Canada answered the Call magnificently. Within
eight weeks of the declaration of War, the Dominion
had sent to Europe a force of 33,000 men, and very
soon, at Langemarck, these men gave wonderful proof
of their courage and skill. They saved Calais, and
wrote the first page of one of the most glorious chapters
in military history.
The story was told in France of two boys meeting

162 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

not far from Vimy Ridge. One of them belonged to
the First Division, the other to the Second. They
talked of their time in England at Salisbury and
Folkestone. The boy from the Second Division said :
"So you were at old Salisbury. You painted the
place red, and left us something to live down in the
Old Country." "Yes," said the other fellow, with a
twinkle in his eye, ' ' We were at old Salisbury, and we
did caper about and paint it red. Now we've been
up there at Vimy Ridge, and we've painted that red,
and left you something to live up to. ' '

Nobly did the boys of the Second Division live up
to the traditions of Vimy Ridge. There is nothing
finer in the history of our Empire than the story, the
epic written in blood, of Vimy. It will be told in
Canada and in England as, in the old days, was told
the story of Agincourt, Crecy, and Waterloo. It
should be written in lines to match Tennyson's ' ' Charge
of the Light Brigade."

The First Division was commanded by General
Anderson, who, when addressing his men as they went
into the trenches for the first time, said :

"There is one thing more. My old regiment, the
Royal West Kents, has been here since the beginning
of the War, and has never lost a trench. The Army
says the West Kents never budge. I am proud of
the great record of my old regiment, and I think it is
a good omen. I now belong to you, and you belong
to me, and before long the Army will say, 'The
Canadians never budge.' Lads, it can be left there,
and there I leave it. The Germans will never turn
you out."

Kent is proud of the gallant General, and he has good

CANADIAN LIFE IN FOLKESTONE. 163

reason to be proud of his command. The most severe
military circles have pronounced a eulogy upon the
splendid achievements of the Canadians, remembering
that Canada was an industrial country, and that her
Army was equipped in so short a time.

Canada came to Shorncliffe in force in February,
1915, and very soon Folkestone was a suburb of
Toronto ; within the year, 40,000 men were in training.

A detachment could leave Shorncliffe early in the
morning and be in the trenches by lunch-time, though
the only lunch available would probably have been
biscuits and bully beef.

Shorncliffe stretches across the plains along the
heights by the cliffs. The Camp walked out in its
extensions through Sandgate, Hythe, Dibgate, and
Otterpool. It is lovely in spring and summer. The
district is the border of the Garden of England. Pasture
land stretches away to the belt of hills, glorious in
their green ; and on the other side there is the sea,
with all its haunting charms of adventure and beauty.
But the camp can be very lonely, especially in winter-
time, when the bright spots are the Y.M.C.A. Huts.

A visit to the Camp in the morning would have
been a surprise to a member of the German High
Command, who would have seen a great crowd of
boys stripped to the waist, intent upon learning the
art of war. By the station at Sandling Junction
trenches had been dug, and there men learned to
' ' go over the top. ' ' They practised precision in bomb-
throwing, and became familiar with hand-grenades.
They learned how to use observation posts, and to
detect the approach of the enemy by tapping the
sound-waves created by his movements.

164 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

At the foot of the hills a company of men would
race along to a given objective and dig themselves in.
It was a competition against time. Above them,
storming parties would be attacking supposed im-
pregnable positions, high up, while on the plains,
hundreds of boys were learning proficiency in the
handling of the bayonet, which was proverbially
dreaded by the Germans. Sacks of straw hung from
poles, with marks in chalk to indicate the vulnerable
parts of the body. The exercise was to charge on the
run and ' ' pink ' ' the man in effigy ; so that long
before the Canadians gave proof of their methods at
Neuve Chappelle and Vimy, and beyond Arras, they
had learned to handle a bayonet as a professional
handles a golf club. It was said that the enemy so
disliked the bayonet that he would not face bayonet
attacks ; and the Canadians demonstrated their
efficiency and their strength to drive the weapon
home.

All the work of men in the field was practised at
Shorn cliff e. His Majesty the King was warm in his
praise of the smartness of his Canadian troops. When
Lord Kitchener came upon surprise visits to St.
Martin's Plain, the men turned out splendidly, and
old soldiers were loudest in their expressions of admira-
tion. It seemed impossible that boys from the office
and the field could acquire the technique of war so
readily.

The Camp was self-contained. It provided recrea-
tion and instruction, and was sufficiently near the town
to enable thousands of boys to throng the streets
every night. In the early days, many an amusing
episode took place by Caesar's Camp. There was a

CANADIAN LIFE IN FOLKESTONE. 1 65

tent just by the old road along which Caesar is said
to have gone with his army to London, when London
was a little Roman colony. In that tent a concert
party was delighting a crowded audience. The boys
had permission to smoke, and the air was very thick.
Clouds took fantastic shape in the light of the big oil
lamps. Dr. T. T. Shields, of Jarvis Street, Toronto,
had arrived unexpectedly, and was announced as
"a surprise packet from Home, of large size and full
of good things. ' ' The orator from Jarvis Street had
a great reception, but found it very difficult to speak
in such an atmosphere. It seemed as if he were shout-
ing through a megaphone ; when suddenly the back
of the tent was blown out, and the air came in from
the sea. It was a welcome breeze, certainly for Dr.
Shields. By this time his presence was known, and a
great crowd assembled outside the tent. The rest
of the musical items were forgotten, arsd the boys
listened with delight to a message from Home. One
never knows how ideal Home may be until one is far
across the seas.

Dr. John McNeil, of Toronto, came over for special
work with the Y.M.C.A. One afternoon he was to
give an address in Sandgate. The boys of the nth
came over very tired, after their gruesome practice
of bayoneting sacks of straw. They filled the old
Alhambra Music Hall ; it had been converted from its
old uses ; it was not a good place to speak in. It was
operated by the Canadian Red Triangle. As a pre-
liminary to the address, Captain ' ' Peg, ' ' a great boy
who, like Peter Pan, had never grown up, was leading
the singing. With John McNeil there were two other
parsons, fresh from a game of golf ; suddenly ' ' Peg ' '

l66 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

announced that ' ' The Ministerial trio will sing the next
verse of the song, 'Mother Machree. ' " Nothing
daunted, the three faced the music, and their per-
formance brought down the house. It was a good
prelude to the manly appeal of the Toronto Demos-
thenes.

There is another story of Dr. McNeil, which may
not be forgotten. He had preached on Sunday, and
on the Monday morning was to play a round of golf
with three others. One of them had been in his
congregation and enjoyed the sermon. He watched
the Canadian take his stand to drive the wayward
white ball. He had thought of an easy victory,
but when he saw the quality and the length of the
drive, he said, in his broad Scotch : ' ' Ay, mon, I
heard you preach yesterday, and it was a fine sermon ;
but if you could only preach as you can drive, my word,
you'd be a mighty fine preacher."

Among the Canadian officers there are many
remembered in the town for their fine character and
genial spirits. They were good comrades as well as
very gallant gentlemen. General Sir Sam Hughes
had a place of his own, but not less in the esteem of the
men was General Sir Sam Steele. With his wife and
daughter he became very familiar to Folkestone
audiences. He was ever ready to respond to an
invitation to help a good cause or an individual who
got into difficulties. It was a beautiful thing to see
the brave old man sitting in his room on Saturday
afternoon, listening to the story of some boy who had
got into difficulty, and had found a sympathetic friend
in his General. It is not given to many officers in
command to become the confidant of men of all ranks ;

CANADIAN LIFE IN FOLKESTONE. 1 67

but "old Sam Steele" won the hearts of the boys.
It was a continual grief to him that he was not sent
overseas ; but the duty of a soldier is to obey orders
and to serve wherever he is commanded.

Colonel Smart, who took over the command and
held it until the close of the Camp, was a businesslike
soldier. It was difficult to imagine that he had not
been in the Army all his life. He had the distinction
of withdrawing the Military Police from the streets
of Folkestone ; he put his men upon their honour,
and told them that there would be no picket in town.
He would depend upon their good sense to behave as
gentlemen. And they did. The charges for drunken-
ness were few, and the occasions upon which there was
any disturbance of the peace were very few indeed.
By some ill wind a rumour was spread abroad,
especially in Canada, that the Army in Folkestone was
' ' going the pace. ' ' Awful tales were told ; but they
were tales so exaggerated that they bore no resemb-
lance to the truth. As a matter of fact, charges for
drunkenness were rather less than 1 per 1,000, and
before the days of Prohibition there was probably no
town of any size, even in Canada, that could show so
clean a record. The Mayor of Folkestone, when the
present writer was going upon a speaking tour through
Canada, made a special request, with the sanction and
endorsement of the Corporation, that the people of
the Dominion should be told that their boys in Folke-
stone were as well behaved as they were brave in the
field.

Hundreds of boys on Sunday afternoons were guests
in Folkestone homes, and were more than welcome.
They endeared themselves to the children, and captured

168 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

the hearts of the girls so successfully that about 1,100
Canadian brides went from the district to strengthen
the tie of Empire across the seas. Many are the stories
of the wooing that could be told". Let this one suffice.
A boy from the Land of the Maple Leaf was captivated
by the charm of a girl serving in a Hut. After a while
Tommy said to the maid at the coffee urn : ' ' D'you
sleep here ? " " Oh, no ; I live down by the Church. ' '
She spoke in a tone that fired the blood and made a
man forget whether he was in a hut or in dreamland.
"D'you go home by yourself?" he enquired. "Of
course, ' ' she said. ' ' What time do you leave ? ' '
' ' When the hut shuts. ' ' As the girl came out of the
hut she saw Tommy, all eyes. "T'aint right," he
said, " for a girl like you to go along alone, late at night.
May I see you home?" "Yes — " and they walked
along together. ' ' D'you know the new arrangements
about the separation allowance ? ' ' She shook her
head and laughed. ' ' It's mighty good ; 25 dollars
from the Government and 15 from the man. Worth
thinking about. ' ' She was silent. ' ' Did you ever
think of getting married ? " he blurted out. She
shook her head. ' ' Then think of it, ' ' he said. ' ' Forty
dollars a month is some allowance. You think of
it, and if you want to get hitched, tell me to-morrow
night. ' ' They had arrived at the house, and he went
away all unconscious that he had proposed marriage
to one of the three beauties of Europe, one of Queen
Mary's maids of honour.

One memorable night a little party was going up
to the camp. The sky was hazy, with banks of grey
and bars of gold. "Just the sort of night for old
Fritz to get busy," said the driver. He was a boy

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who had spent two years in France until he got potted.
He had driven an officer along the banks of the famous
Canal which had been a death-trap to Canadian
soldiers. "We don't like that kind of sky," he
remarked. ' ' You can't see what's in it, and it's light
enough for flying. ' ' The line of hills seemed further
in the distance, and the tall poplars silhouetted against
the drifting banks of white cloud. The roads were
winding and narrow, and partly hidden by an arch of
leaves. Then they stretched across hill and plain,
where the tents were thick and the lights were welcome
after the darkness. The camp was like a great city, with
its shops and canteens, cinema theatre, and great huts.
One of the party alighted with a soloist ; there was
a crowd of eager boys to bid him welcome. "Good
old Cameron ! ' ' they called. ' ' What price Bloor
Street ? ' ' The car went on, carrying a lecturer to
a hut at the extreme end of the Camp. It was a long,
narrow building, with a bar across one end, four billiard
tables, a partition, and a hall. There was a good
audience, eager to consider some problems of social
reconstruction. The lecture had proceeded half-way
when a military policeman called certain men out of
the hut ; they were not many, but their departure
created a great deal of uneasiness in the audience.
Then, without a moment's warning, the electric light
went out. One could see from the windows that the
whole camp was in the dark. The animated scene
of a moment before was blotted out ; the moon was
somewhere lost behind the clouds. The thrill could
be felt ; no one moved. Then came the sound all knew :
it was the warning of immediate danger from aircraft.
Still the boys sat tight. "What shall we do ?" said

I70 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

the lecturer. "Shall we get back to the huts, or
clear and have a look at the show ? " " Can't we
carry on ? " called a voice from the back, at which there
was applause. "Can't find a better 'ole than this,
can yer ? ' ' piped in shrill tones from somewhere near
the platform. There was more applause, and the
lecturer went on. It must have been difficult work
talking in the dark. Suddenly, across the hill,
clearly seen in the light of the moon, now undraped,
appeared an aeroplane with the unmistakable marks.
The searchlights had picked her up ; her bars glistened
as silver wings, and all about her shrapnel was bursting
from the anti-aircraft guns. There was a dull thud.
' ' It ain't a blighty ! ' ' somebody called. The guns
peppered away, and the burr and the buzz grew more
distinct. It seemed as if the machine would be brought
down, but an unlucky breeze shifted the clouds, and
the enemy had the advantage of oblivion. A success-
sum of explosions, and then it was over ; the only
sound was the dying away of the thud of the machine,
indicating its direction ; it was over the sea.

Among the most pathetic sights witnessed at Shorn-
cliffe was the decoration of the graves of those who
had died far away from home. It was a beautiful
thought, conceived by Mr. E. Palmer, of Hythe, and
carried out by Mr. C. G. Molyneux and Mr. Percy
Greenstreet, with the assistance of a large number of
very willing helpers. The first ceremony was held
on June 13th, 1917. The Canadian band played
while more than 1,500 children from neighbouring
schools marched past, bearing flowers for the honoured
dead. The little wooden crosses, with the identification
of the bodies lying beneath, tell their own tale, and

CANADIAN LIFE IN FOLKESTONE. 171

bring mist to the eyes and a choking sensation to the
throat. The presence of these little children, the
majority of them clad in white, with their floral
tributes of affection, will never be forgotten by
Canadians. The Mayor of Folkestone and his col-
league the Mayor of Hythe, with the Vicar, the Rev.
H. G. Dale, and hundreds of visitors, representing
public bodies, churches and institutions, stood round,
uncovered, while the ceremony was performed.

Appropriate words were spoken for those who were
honoured.

Colonel C. A. Smart, in broken tones, expressed the
appreciation of Canada of the ceremony and the
spirit behind it. He explained that the graves would
be kept as a bit of Canada in Folkestone. Many of
the boys whose bodies were lying there had never
seen France, and others had done their bit and come
back to hospitals in the districts, where they had died.
Canadian parents would be bound closer to the Mother
Country by the action of the little children.

The number of Canadians in the Folkestone area
has been given with great variety. The official
figures present a surprising total. During the first
year, 40,000 men were stationed in the Camp. From
1915 to 1916, 45,000 men received training. During
the two years, 70,000 men in the Shorncliffe area were
equipped and passed to France. During 1917, the
approximate number of troops stationed in the Camp
was 30,000 ; and in the following year, 20,000. At the
beginning of the present year, 1918-1919, only 10,000
remained. The number of troops proceeding over-
seas from the area between Christmas, 1916, and the
end of the War was 60,000. Canada has contributed

172 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

to the Overseas Force 550,000 men, and of these
more than 350,000 have been to France during the
War.

The number of Canadians who died in the Shorn--
cliffe area, from 1915 to 1919, including deaths from
wounds, was nearly l,5oo.

The Canadians have nothing to learn in horseman-
ship. From early youth they are trained to the
saddle. Many men in the cavalry regiments ride
with the ease and skill of cowboys. The Canadian
Mounted Rifles presented one of the smartest turn-
outs in the field. A display of horsemanship always
brought a great crowd to the Camp. The Reserve
Cavalry raised considerable sums of money by their
Gymkhanas. Lieutenant Bertran, a very fine horse-
man, had an adventure in the display in Radnor Park.
It was in a jumping contest ; the officer was going at
a smart pace. The horse slipped and rolled over
heavily, with the rider underneath. It seemed that
something very serious had happened, but in a few
moments the Lieutenant was extricated, apparently
unhurt. His brother officers lifted him up, but he
broke away, and seizing another saddled horse,
mounted it and rode in amid the cheers of the boys.

Tent-pegging, with lances and swords, was very
popular, and greatly enjoyed by the men. Great fun
was created on the Camp by the gas-mask exercise.
Men and horses were masked ; both objected to the
precautionary appliances, and did not willingly take
to their use. The men looked more like divers pre-
paring to go below than soldiers ready to withstand
an attack.

Boxing practice became a regular part of the soldier's

CANADIAN LIFE IN FOLKESTONE. 173

education, and he took to it with true sportsmanlike
spirit. In play they toughened their muscles and
gained an alertness of eye and rapidity of movement
which stood them in good stead. The fun of the
practice sometimes led to the real thing, and contests
not recognised by the authorities.

The first Canadian Baseball match played in England
took place in the Cricket Ground in May, 1915. Sir
Stephen Penfold and Alderman Spurgen took part.
The game is very popular across the Atlantic, but
hardly known in the Old Country. It resembles our
familiar game of ' ' Rounders. ' ' A diamond-shaped
pattern is marked out on the ground, 90 feet from the
side. Nine men are in a team ; one side takes the
field, the other goes in to bat. When the fielders
are at their points the pitcher stands inside the ground
near the centre, facing the batsman, whose position
is at the home base ; the batsman endeavours to
drive the ball far enough away to allow him to run
around the bases, which count one on the score. If he
fails to run all round, he can stop at any base, and wait
for the next pitch. If the ball touches him when away
from a base, he is out. The play is less artistic than
cricket, but it lacks nothing in excitement, especially
when the spectators, following the trans-Atlantic
fashion, shout advice to the players, and do not hesitate
to yell criticisms.

Athletic competitions and general sports were
arranged by the Canadian Y.M.C.A. Subscriptions
were invited to provide prizes. Councillor R. G.
Wood gave several beautiful silver cups, and the
response enabled Captain Miller to offer some fine
trophies, which will go back to the Dominion not only

174 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

as evidence of the prowess of the victors, but as
souvenirs of Folkestone.

Social life was made very homelike by the presence
of a large number of Canadian women. Many of
them found occupation in the Hospitals and Canteens,
where they rendered invaluable assistance. Other
ladies joined Mrs. Sherbrooke in mothering lonely
and wounded men, arranging social functions, concert
parties, and motor drives, and doing the beautiful
little things which only women with sympathetic
nsight could devise.

The Maple Leaf Club began with a little company
of English women attempting to provide something
like a Canadian home. Beds, baths, and meals were
arranged at very reasonable rates. In 1916 the Club
was taken over by the Canadian Women's Union,
and worked entirely by ladies from overseas. Its
popularity is indicated by the fact that in one year
more than 4,000 men slept under its roof. Arrange-
ments were made for visiting the various Canadian
hospitals, and supplying the wards with flowers and
magazines. Mrs. Charles Nelles was the President,
and had for her assistants many well-known women.
Among them was Mrs. Smart, the wife of the G.O.C.
She added to her work as Red Cross Hospital visitor,
responsible for several wards in No. n General Hospital,
that of Vice-President of the Anglo-Canadian Club.
With her daughter Dorothy, Mrs. Smart was con-
tinually in evidence, engaged in good works for the
men.

The Canadian Club for Women was founded in
December, 1915. Its object was to welcome the
wives and relatives of the officers of the Canadian

CANADIAN LIFE IN FOLKESTONE. I75

Expeditionary Force then in England, and to unite
them in friendship with the women of the Motherland.
It was affiliated to the Victoria League, and had for
its patrons their Majesties the King and Queen.
"At homes" were given at Adyar, lent by the Theo-
sophical Society, every Tuesday evening, during the
first and second years of the War, and once a month
until the Armistice. These gatherings enabled the
residents of Folkestone and the neighbourhood to
have the pleasure of welcoming and knowing their
fellow-countrywomen from the Dominion.

The Hon. Secretary's register contains upwards of
1,400 names of Canadian ladies, numbers of whom have
said how greatly these gatherings helped to make
their stay amongst us pleasant, as it not only gave
them opportunities of meeting English women, but
also of discovering each other.

Captain R. W. Ensor, Canadian Headquarters
Staff, was most indefatigable in helping to find new
arrivals. The originator of the idea was Miss Lilian
Edwards, who, with her usual zeal and energy, soon
made the institution successful. Miss Edwards left
the town for an appointment at the War Office, and
the work devolved upon Mrs. Philips, who had the
assistance of Lady Steele and afterwards Mrs. Smart,
Mrs. V. Edwards, and Miss Peachey. The last "At
home" was made the opportunity of thanking the
Committee. Colonel Smart, on behalf of the Canadian
ladies, expressed their deep appreciation of the efforts
made to strengthen the links that bound the women
from overseas to their fellow countrywomen in the
town ; adding that he personally regarded Folkestone
as a second home.

I76 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

Many eminent visitors came to the Camp, including
the Premiers and most of the Members of Parliament,
and Sir Robert Borden. They were enthusiastic
over the hospitality shown to their boys. Distin-
guished Generals came from the War Office and from
overseas ; they inspected the men, and were not
stinting in their praise of the work done. The gunners
gained remarkable proficiency, and fulfilled in the
field the brilliant promise given in their practice.
Their achievements were the more creditable as, in
common with the Eaton Machine Gun Section, the
men were largely drawn from the stores and the
schools.

The intellectual life of the soldiers was not for-
gotten. The Public Library allowed men on the Camp
to have the loan of books. Large numbers of soldiers
used the Reference Department and Reading Rooms
in the evenings, and found in the Chief Librarian and
his assistants willing helpers in obtaining the informa-
tion they required.

Dr. Tory came over from Alberta University to
organise the educational work, being carried out by
the Y.M.C.A., and the Chaplains. His report marked
a new phase of Army education, and will produce a
type of soldier hitherto unknown.

Dr. Tory reported upon the need for educational
effort, and its value in view of military efficiency.
He interviewed large numbers of men and officers,
that he might become acquainted with their outlook.
As a result, he felt justified in proposing a definite
educational programme, in which the Universities
would have prominent place. Principal Tory's report
is so valuable that we venture upon the following
extract :

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CANADIAN LIFE IN FOLKESTONE. 177

' ' There is no doubt in the minds of the military
authorities but that such work, if properly done,
would be of great benefit to the soldiers from
the point of view of efficiency as soldiers and of
general morale. And, further, that a great and
useful service might be done in preparing them
for the time when they resume the normal duties
of life again.

"There is a strong desire on the part of the
men of the Army, particularly among those who
had previously been following intellectual occupa-
tions, to undertake any work that would bring
them again into connection with the problems
of civil life. The excitement associated with the
beginnings of Army service has passed away,
and the social and civil instincts are again assert-
ing themselves. A considerable portion of the
men are not only willing to take advantage of
opportunities for intellectual improvement, but
are anxious so to do. This applies not only to
religious men who have been interested in Bible
study and corresponding subjects, in association
with the Y.M.C.A. and Chaplain's service, but to
those whose thought and interest run entirely
to ordinary secular occupation. Two illustra-
tions of the sort of evidence gathered will serve
to show why I came to this conclusion.

"I met a group of two hundred men who
came together after a religious service, on an
invitation to discuss with me the possibilities
of their taking advantage of an educational
scheme in order to prepare them for their life
at home after the War. As these men had been

I78 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

at a religious meeting, naturally a large percentage
of them were men who were thinking in the terms
of religious effort. Personal inquiry among them
showed that fifty-seven of them wished to take
up the study of agriculture, forty had their minds
turned toward the Christian ministry, thirty to
get a business education, eighteen to take up
work of the character done by the Y.M.C.A.,
fifteen the study of practical mechanics, several
the teaching profession, while the remainder
simply desired to improve themselves.

"In order to get information from a more
representative group of men, a brigade was
selected representative of Canada as a whole,
in which there were one battalion from the
Eastern provinces, two from the Central provinces,
and one from the Western provinces. An officer
was appointed to determine what would be their
attitude toward an educational programme, es-
pecially for the demobilisation period. Eighteen
hundred and sixty men were interviewed. Of
these, thirteen hundred and seventy expressed
a desire for, and a willingness to participate in,
an educational programme. A large number of
them wanted instruction in engineering, an almost
equal number in agriculture, and a considerable
number in subjects of the ordinary academic
type, such as economics and history. ' '
The "Khaki College" took practical shape, as the
"Khaki University of Canada." Its branches soon
extended to all the Camps in England, and, wherever
possible, at the back of the lines. Khaki College at
Vimy Ridge will ever be remembered. An Advisory

CANADIAN LIFE IN FOLKESTONE. I79

Board of the Young Men's Christian Association, for
whom Dr. Tory made the original investigation, sug-
gested that the Universities should be the instrument
for developing the work. The principal colleges
agreed, and Sir Robert Faulkner became Chairman
of the new body. Dean Adams left McGill to take
charge of the Headquarters in London, and a full
programme was worked out, embracing as much of
a University education as could be given in the Army.

The difficulties were very considerable, and the cost
heavy ; but the resources were more than sufficient,
and large numbers of students have been able to
continue advanced work, which will be accepted by
the examination Board at its full value. The study
of Agriculture has been carried out in a way that would
have seemed impossible to the stereotyped organisation
dealing with military education. Medical students
have been helped, and those who looked to the study
and the practice of the Law encouraged and enabled
to continue their work. Thousands of men have taken
elementary courses, while shorthand, book-keeping,
and typewriting have been very popular.

The last step in the development of the Khaki
College was the establishment of a bureau of informa-
tion, where particulars could be obtained concerning
the Government's plans for assistance of men returning-
overseas. Officers have been engaged tabulating;
replies to all kinds of questions, so that a man need
have no difficulty in knowing exactly what help he
might reckon upon from the Government when he
was demobilised.

Canadian airmen delighted to come to Folkestone.
Their main quarters were in another camp, but large

l80 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

numbers of them were at Lydd and Capel, and were
frequently in the town. Canada's share in the air
was was between 13,000 and 14,000 men. Of these,
1,239 officers had been transferred from the Canadian
Forces to the Imperial Air Force, and more than 4,000
fully trained officers were sent direct from Canada.

Several Canadian regiments, following the example
of the West Kents, deposited their colours in Canter-
bury Cathedral. It was a lovely sight to see the boys
lined in the butter market by the statue of Marlowe,
the poet, looking up at St. George's Gate, that old
monument that was very old long before Agincourt
was won, that echoed with the popular rejoicing at
the news of the defeat of the Armada, and in whose
shadow men breathed more freely after Waterloo. As
the companies passed into the Cathedral they were
greatly impressed with the charm of the building ;
the grey towers that have stood four-square to all
the winds that blew for nearly a thousand years ;
the choir, in which boys lift up their fresh, young
voices as boys did eight hundred years ago. The
Cathedral is full of monuments to the memory of
those who have given their lives in sacrifice to their
country. It is fitting that in the home where the
greatest sacrifice of all is remembered there should be
the banners of those who have gone forth ready to
make the greatest sacrifice within their power, for a
cause, a sentiment, an intangible something that
has ever been a beckoning hand to heroes. The
authorities received the flags and promised to keep
them in safety. Then the men knelt in prayer : a
moment of tense silence before the National Anthem
rang out as a challenge to our foes.

CANADIAN LIFE IN FOLKESTONE. l8l

Canadian life in Folkestone was under great obliga-
tions to the Chaplains ; the representatives of the
Churches of the Dominions were, with few exceptions,
able and devoted men. They enriched the life of the
camp by their presence, and did far more than it is
possible to chronicle. Their tasks were varied and
often largely shaped by their particular gifts. In
addition to the regular church parades on Sunday,
and devotional meetings during the week, the Padre
came into close personal contact with officers and men.
They had unique opportunities for influencing the
lives of those committed to their spiritual care. Many
a boy in difficulty found deliverance and guidance
through the Padre.

The men were living under strange conditions. Life
in Camp, thousands of miles away from home, was
abnormal, and offered peculiar temptations. Men,
feeling terribly lonely and hungry for companionship,
with plenty of leisure time in a town of strangers,
were confronted by attractions never experienced in
their Homeland. They might easily have slipped
into undesirable ways, and fallen victims to the Camp
followers and to the worst phases of English social
life, but for the good influences of the Chaplains
and the attractions of the Hut.

The Padres organised many useful agencies for
different types of men. From the earliest days some
of them conducted classes for students who desired
at least to keep in touch with their studies. The work
was necessarily informal. During the summer classes
were held under the friendly shade of the trees. It
was not uncommon to find, in the glory of the sunset
over the hills a group of undergraduates from McGill,

l82 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

Queen's, or McMaster, studying the Greek verbs or
difficult constructions in the Classics.

The Chaplains arranged for courses of popular
lectures by those in their own ranks who had been
engaged in College work, and called to their assistance
local Ministers, who gave travel talks, conducted
conferences, and delivered lectures on various subjects.
They collected books and magazines for Hospital
libraries and arranged to take men on short leave to
see the places of historic interest.

The right kind of Chaplain had a great field of use-
fulness, and the Canadian Churches sent many of their
most gifted Ministers to serve the troops. They
were wise in their action, and their sacrifices will be
more than repaid by the enrichment of the Chaplains
themselves, and the increased interest in the Churches
which will be felt among the men. It is difficult to do
justice to the Chaplains' work and devotion. Not a
few of them entered largely into the religious activities
of the town, and were held in honour by the local
Churches.

Colonel J. H. McDonald, C.B.E., was among the
first to establish a record for devoted service. Keen
in intellect, sound in judgment, ever ready to lend a
helping hand, and always accessible, he became very
popular among the boys. After serving in France, he
returned to England to become Deputy-Director of
the Chaplaincy Department ; afterwards his visits
to the Camp were all too few.

It is not possible to record even the names of all
those who endeared themselves to the men and
became popular among the civilians. Lieut. -Colonel
Pringle made a great reputation for valour on the field

CANADIAN LIFE IN FOLKESTONE. 1 83

of battle and gracious ministry in the Camp. Major
Gordon found his fame had preceded him. Those
who knew ' ' Ralph Connor, ' ' author of ' ' Sky Pilot ' '
and "Black Rock," crowded the local Churches
when he was announced to preach, just as eagerly as
the soldiers flocked to his services on the Camp.
Colonel Armond and Bishop Fallon were welcome
visitors. The names of Captain Porter, Major A. G.
Wells, Professor Mackintosh, Bishop White, and
Bishop de Pencier will long be remembered, while
the Senior Chaplain, Major T. A. Wilson, will never
be forgotten. They were ever ready to serve the
men, and spared not themselves in the effort to make
religion a vital force in the lives of their countrymen.
Canada owes a greater debt than she can ever repay
to the Chaplains who came overseas.

Mr. W. Glanfield, "Felix" of the facile pen, was
present at a Canadian parade service, and has given
his impressions :

"There must have been 2,000 men, all Canadians,
present at the service under the shadow of Caesar's
Camp. The Chaplain, assisted by Captain Beatty,
conducted the service. 'Men of the Brigade, pay
attention to Divine Service,' called the Brigadier-
General, who stood apart from the rest of the officers.
He saluted the Chaplain, and the salute was returned.
The hymn,

'Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty,
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee, '
was announced, and sung with great heartiness. I
have heard the verses rendered in little Bethels and
stately Churches, but they never sounded so impressive
as that morning under the hill.

184 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

"After the recital of the Psalms and the reading
of the Lesson, the Brigadier-General blew a whistle,
and all the boys thereupon sat down in companies
on the grass ; some lay at full-length, in a kind of
go-as-you-please posture. Another hymn,

'Through the night of doubt and sorrow,'
and then Captain Beatty stepped forward and gave
a stirring address to the boys, as they were lying in
the meadow. It could hardly be called a sermon,
but rather ' A Talk Between Ourselves. ' The Padre
dwelt with eloquence upon the meaning of real friend-
ship : friendship, as he said, for which a man at a
pinch would give his life. That was both loyalty
and friendship. ' Greater love hath no man than this,
that he would lay down his life for his friend.' In
ringing tones the khaki-clad orator described patriotism
— the response to a cause greater than the individual.
He referred to Florence Nightingale, and drew lessons
from the fall of Warsaw. With dramatic power, he
described the reasons that brought Canada to England.
The cause of the Empire was greater than the claims
of the individual. The Call came to them, and they
answered, some of them hardly knowing why. Yet
they were asked by God Almighty to fight for Free-
dom and men and women ; to fight for the Empire,
for the Freedom of black as well as white ; to fight
for the body and soul. They were asked to fight for
the realisation of the world. The earth shall be the
kingdom of this world, and of His Christ ; and this
could never be while there existed military despotism.
'Boys,' he concluded, 'be worthy of the great
cause, and God bless you.'

The whistle blew again ; the men were instantly

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CANADIAN LIFE IN FOLKESTONE. 185

on their feet and at attention. The morning air
resounded with the hymn,

' Fight the good fight with all thy might ; '

then the Blessing, and the Service was over. It was
a magnificent spectacle to watch these Canadians.
They have taught many of us a much-needed lesson
in patriotism and loyalty. They have lifted, as it
were, the curtain from the great Dominion across the
sea, and we have seen the reality of Empire. Our
hearts go out to them."

In the years to come pilgrims from Canada will
find their way to Folkestone, and many Folkestone
people will make the journey across the seas. In
the hearts of all there will be treasured memories of
friendships formed during the War, and in Folkestone,
and in many a Dominion city, stories will be told of
the wonderful days when the boys from the Maple Leaf
Land were on the fringe of the sea in the Garden of
England, pioneers of the mighty host that went to
France to win Freedom for civilization.

CHAPTER X.

THE CROSS-CHANNEL SERVICE.
nY Rear-Admiral Yelverton and the Editor.

The great Naval Base at Dover was not completed
before the outbreak of war. It was hurried forward
with all possible expedition, and proved of inestimable
value, not only to the South East Coast, but to the
whole country. The sea traffic at Folkestone was
limited by the absence of a deep-water harbour, but
its volume was far greater than the public supposed.
Those who watched it day by day were amazed by
its rapid development, and the skilful way in which
it was handled. Folkestone Harbour soon became
one of the vital strategic positions in the War.

The enormous increase in passenger traffic may
be gathered from the significant fact that the Officer
of Health, Dr. Yunge-Bateman, from August 26th to
December 31st, 1914, inspected 185,572 persons at
the Harbour. In 1915, 260,674 passengers were
inspected, and 4,935 up to March, 1916, when the
work ceased.

The Embarkation Department, which was charged
with great responsibility, began in the early days
of the war. Colonel Aytoun and Lieut. -Col. L. H.
Noblett were sent down to the port to prevent officers
going across to France with civilians. Men who
were turned down for duty in the reserve of their
battalion at home were very sore, and determined

THE CROSS-CHANNEL SERVICE. 1 87

to get across to join their regiment in the fighting
line. Many of them succeeded and saw considerable
service before it was discovered that they were supposed
to be in home camps. They adopted all sorts of
devices to get past the authorities at Dover Harbour.
One man who was stopped with the question, "Are
you a British Officer ? ' ' replied, ' ' Yes. ' ' Much to
his chagrin, ' ' What regiment ? ' ' With a wink he
answered, "The Italian Guards." He was passed
through. A bright-eyed boy, obviously anxious about
getting on board the boat, was met with the question,
"Are you an officer?" With a /ery red face he
replied, ' ' No, but I hope to be. ' ' The Embarkation
Department grew enormously, though in the first
months of the War Folkestone seemed to be
overlooked for military purposes.

The story of the rescue of 2,200 lives in little more
than half-an-hour by the steamer "Queen," under
Captain Carey, will live in the annals of heroic deeds.
A pressman on board related his experiences to the
' ' Daily Chronicle. " "I and two French children were
sitting aft upon the starboard side of the 'Queen'
watching the coast-line disappear. We were all very
cheery, if the truth be told, at our escape from the
racking atmosphere of the area of the War. We
were making a hesitating return to easy laughter, when
the first laugh was abruptly choked. There was a
stir amidships. Three members of an American Red
Cross Contingent had passed their binoculars to a
couple of British officers, who were peering at a black
hull which lay ahead. A King's Messenger stood
apart and rather perplexed. And now the men
had shot up to the upper deck and were loosening

188 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

the ship's boats in their davits. She was the Amiral
Ganteaume, of Calais, and she was Hying signals of
distress. Off her lay a fishing smack, and now a
couple of French torpedo boats raced with us to get
alongside. At first there was a talk of taking the
Amiral Ganteaume in tow back to France. Then it
was decided that the refugees must come aboard.
A tidy sea was by this time breaking on her. Small
boats were impossible, and there was nothing for it but
to stand alongside and let them swarm upon us. The
Red Cross men and I persuaded all our women to
get below, all save one, who worked like a heroine,
catching flying babies and tugging at hefty infantrymen
of the line. Captain Carey brought us round to the
lee side of the sinking ship. The two torpedo boats
and the tiny smack hovered around us. The refugees
cheered. We crunched past her bows, and a small
boat by the side of the doomed steamer was almost
squashed between us. The side of the ' Queen ' touched
the sinking ship. The refugees leapt at us by the
score. We helped them aboard. The Red Cross
men and an officer and I cleared a path to the com-
panion way to get them below to make room for the
mass that pressed on. Some were so fear-stricken
that they had to be led to the companion way. Others,
those who had been in the trenches, were quiet, and
helped to clear the decks. Mothers tossed their
babies to us, and were pulled over themselves. Some
were jambed between the heaving ships. Others,
half-dressed for swimming, took flying leaps at us.
The last of the Belgians was got aboard. He was a
soldier of the 8th Regiment of the Line. The news —
unfortunately not true — flashed round that all were

THE CROSS-CHANNEL SERVICE. 189

saved. There never was a louder cheer. 'Vive
l'Angleterre ! L'Angleterre est brave ! ' A second
cheer echoed on the first as the captain and six of his
men were seen standing on the bridge of the smitten
ship. We left them with the fishing smack lying
by to take them off. ' '

The "Queen" landed her cargo of humanity on
the lee side of the pier. It was a terrible spectacle.
There was an appalling gale of wind and rain. The
seas were sweeping with such force over the pier that
one heavy railway coach laden with baggage was
completely overturned. The survivors of the torpedoed
boat were drenched to the skin. Many were starving
and parched with thirst. Among the wounded
soldiers none had received attention since they left
the field of battle. They were brought on to the
harbour by special constables, surgeons, and nurses
gathered from local hospitals.

The specials, men who came to the harbour on
duty after they had finished their day's work, are
worthy of the highest praise. They toiled with the
ambulance men all through the night ministering to
the wants of the refugees.

The ladies supplying refreshments on the harbour
under the direction of Mrs. Spens, the Misses Jeffery,
and the Committee of the Belgian Refugees Fund,
contrived that not a single passenger landed by mail
boats, collier, tramp, or smack left the pier without
an offer of food and tea or coffee.

There was not sufficient space alongside the quays
for the boats to land all the wounded who were
brought to the harbour in the early days of the War,
and while some vessels were compelled to remain

I90 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

outside the harbour still tossed by the waves,
others tried to make for other ports. Some heavily
laden steamers were re-signalled to Dover, only to
be forced to face the storm again and return to
Folkestone. Dover was already full and unable to
deal with the increase. At that time the Harbour
Station at Dover was still unfinished, and there were
then no sidings for extra trains had they been available.
Mr. Bennett Goldney telegraphed to the War Office,
and the fullest assistance was given. Sir Alfred
Keogh not only allowed an absolutely free hand to
those in authority upon the spot, but he did every-
thing possible to ensure that local effort should be
backed up by all that expenditure and skill could
improvise, both at the War Office and locally.

It was a time for immediate action. There was no
possibility of postponement. Throughout the night
and far into the next day the boats were brought
alongside, and soon, not only the quays and platforms,
but the permanent way itself was entirely taken up
by the hundreds of stretchers with their brave burdens,
which were unceasingly transferred by willing hands
from the ships to the pier.

The railway was already blocked with the downward
traffic. It was impossible to get more trains away.
Wounded men and refugees waited their turns, or
found shelter in the immediate neighbourhood. What
to do with the wounded was a serious problem. Many
of them were holding on to life by a brittle thread ;
their only chance was immediate attention. It was
decided to put them under local care. The hospitals
received as many as possible, and hotels were re-
quisitioned. 400 patients were sent to the Metropole ;

THE CROSS-CHANNEL SERVICE. 191

250 were conveyed to the Imperial Hotel at Hythe ;
400 of the lighter cases, though many of these turned
out to be extremely serious, were lodged in the Winter
Gardens of the Pavilion Hotel. The Skating Rink
and adjoining buildings were filled with sitting-up
cases.

The War Office took prompt action. There was
nothing of the policy of dilly-dally. Within two
hours of the arrival of the wounded men at the
Metropole Hotel, Sir Wilmot Herringham, with a
fully qualified staff of surgeons and nurses, arrived
from London to change the hotel into a temporary
hospital and to do anything and everything possible
to alleviate the sufferings of the wounded men.

At the far end of the pier was a buffet open to all
men in uniform. The refreshments provided were
gratuitous, and literally some million cups of tea and
coffee, buns and sandwiches were gratefully received
by men from all parts of the Empire. The establish-
ment was run by Miss F. A. Jeffery, Miss M. A. Jeffery,
and Mrs. Napier Sturt. They received substantial
financial support from their personal friends and other
ladies. They were enabled to carry on through
the whole period of the war one of the best agencies in
the area. Mrs. Napier Sturt conceived a happy idea of
keeping a visitors book, so that any who wished
might sign their names. The book ran into
a considerable number of volumes. Miss Jeffery
obtained autographs of the most notable personalities
in the war : the Prime Ministers of Allied countries,
Marshal Foch and Sir Douglas Haig, and royal
personages of various lands. Mr. Lloyd George
concealed his inveterate dislike to giving autographs,

192 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

and readily signed his name upon several occasions.
Mrs. Harland and other ladies worked behind the
counter and helped to brighten the journey for
the men who were crossing the Channel.

The principal sea work other than the transport
of troops, mails, and war materials was the important
campaign to counteract the subtle and murderous
submarine activity of the enemy. The first device
was an ingenious anti-submarine net which was
constructed from the Harbour right across the Channel
to the French coast. There was an opening about
two miles from the Pier-head called the Folkestone
Gate, which was marked by two light vessels. This
triumph of engineering skill served its purpose and
kept the town safe. Submarines venturing too near
the coast did not return, and those in charge of the
net smiled at their catch.

The extreme difficulty of upkeep and improved
net cutters on the submarines caused the net to be
abandoned, and a deep mine -field was instituted in
its place. There was a double chain of lightships
carrying searchlights. The shore lights for this
purpose were mounted on the extremity of the Pier.
Off the Warren there was a large observation mine-
field, and in this at least one German submarine was
destroyed in the first year. Several of the crew were
taken prisoners and brought ashore. The deep mine-
field across the Channel was known to be the burial
place of more than thirty German submarines. While
the critics corfiplained that nothing had been done
to destroy the submarine menace, the Naval Authorities
at the Harbour must have smiled as the news came
in of enemy craft that had gone down to return no
more.

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THE CROSS-CHANNEL SERVICE. I93

The anti-aircraft guns gave a lively salute to ad-
venturous raiders. In December, 1917, the men had
the grim satisfaction of bringing down a huge Gotha
just off the Pier. The monster fell into the sea. Two
of her crew were rescued and brought ashore.
Our men did not follow the German plan of firing
upon their helpless enemies. They saved their lives
in the old British way.

The senior Naval Officers and Competent Naval
Authorities of the Port and Coast of Dungeness were
Captain Pennant Lloyd, who died in 191 6, a very
gallant gentleman ; and Rear- Admiral B. J. D.
Yelverton, C.B., who was installed in September, 1916.
The Admiral was formerly in command of H.M.S;
Suffolk.

It is a fine tribute to those in command that during
the whole period of the war the only ship from Folke-
stone lost by direct enemy attack was the old S.E.R.
transport "Queen." She was the first turbine-
driven ship to be used in the service, and two years
before, under Captain Carey, rescued the refugees
and passengers from the torpedoed Amiral Ganteaume.
The ' ' Queen ' ' was caught by accident in the darkness
of the night in mid-Channel by a German raiding
flotilla. The crew got away. Fortunately, the ship
was returning empty. There were romantic stories
of one of the King's Messengers escaping disguised
as a stoker. The German Wireless sent out news to
America of their great naval victory in the English
Channel. Had the flotilla plucked up courage to
approach the coast, it would not have returned to
Zeebrugge afterwards to be caught as a rat in a trap
by Sir Roger Keyes. The Admiralty issued the
following announcement :

194 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

"During last night the enemy attempted a raid
with ten destroyers on our Cross-Channel Transport
Service. ' '

' ' The attempt failed. One transport, the ' Queen, '
was sunk. The whole of her crew were saved. Two
of the enemy destroyers were sunk and the rest driven
off.

"His Majesty's torpedo boat destroyer 'Flirt,'
Lieutenant R. P. Kellet, R.N., is missing, and it is
feared she may be lost. Nine of the crew have been
saved.

"His Majesty's torpedo boat destroyer 'Nubian,'
Commander Montague Bernard, R.N., was disabled
and taken in tow, but owing to the bad weather the
tow parted and she has been grounded. ' '

Among the many wonderful triumphs of engineering
skill were the naval salvage operations. Perhaps the
most remarkable was achieved in the Folkestone
Harbour. The "Onward," one of the most popular
cross-channel boats, was used as a troopship. She
was by the quay waiting for her human cargo in the
morning, when suddenly great tongues of flame leapt
up from the saloon, illuminating the sea for miles
around. Experts traced the fire to a thermit bomb
hidden among life belts.

The Authorities acted quickly. Sea-cocks were
opened at considerable risk, and the water poured into
her. The boat settled down lower and lower until
she turned over upon her side and sank. The flames
were quenched in a terrific hiss. The ship lay under
water for nearly a month while divers worked to
cut away the mast and funnels, and all of weight that
could be removed was taken out. Tripods of enormous

THE CROSS-CHANNEL SERVICE. 195

baulks of timber were fixed, and lifting craft came
near. Steel cables were attached to the up-side
of the hull, carried down the quay-ward side of the
ship and up the sea-ward side to the lifters. More
cables were fixed and carried over the tripods to five
locomotives. Then the signal was given, and a miracle
of science happened. The locomotives slowly steamed
on till the cables were strained. The engines snorted
and pulled in their fight with the dead weight of
water until the old ship was slowly hauled into position
and the water pumped out and the ' ' Onward ' ' again
rode the waves.

The port of Folkestone was opened for transport
of troops about the end of March, 1915, when the
Authorities discovered that it was very much the
quicker route. After that date a steady flow of troops
to and from France was maintained. On an average
six ships, not including cargo ships and lighters,
sailed daily all through the war with reinforcements
and leave men. Occasionally wounded and German
prisoners were brought to Folkestone by transport.
The wonder is how the men were carried across.
More than thirty ships made up the average, exclusive
of lighters and small craft, in the daily routes to
Calais, Boulogne, Dunkirk, and other French ports.

All the coaling and maintenance of these ships had
to be done on the English side of the Channel, and
added enormously to the incessant work carried out
at Folkestone. The port was never intended to cope
with such extensive traffic, or to receive large vessels.
The Authorities must have had many anxious moments
when considering the problem of getting men over
with rapidity and safety.

I96 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

Great credit is due to all concerned that upwards
of ten million men were sent across the Channel
without the loss of a single life in transit. Alterations
in routes and times of sailing were constant, being
necessitated by the number of enemy submarines
and the change of the mine-fields in the close vicinity
of the routes, but, fortunately, owing to the seaman-
ship of the local men, the vigilance of the Dover
Patrol, especially of the destroyers escorting all ships,
the frequent attempts to interrupt the transportation
of troops were always frustrated.

During 1917 and 1918 very large numbers of men
were carried across the Channel, amounting ap-
proximately to nearly 3,000,500 in 1917 and 2,986,000
in 1918. Statistics of the tonnage carried for the
Government read like a fairy tale. During the advance
of the enemy on the Channel ports in the dark days
of April, 1918, no less than 11,000 men per day were
transported to France as reinforcements, and for
weeks the average number totalled 120,000. A
wonderful record when one considers the limited
accommodation at the Folkestone Pier.

The Naval Authorities at the Harbour included Com-
mander A. G. Alston, R.N., who soon after the out-
break of war was transferred to another port. He
was followed by Commander G. F. Woodall, R.N.,
who died at Folkestone in September, 1916. Com-
mander H. F. Perfect, R.N., remained until November,
1916, and was followed by Commander J. T. Blake,
R.N., who became Marine Superintendent of the
S.E. and C.R. Co., and was succeeded by Commander
F. C. Richardson, R.N.V.R. In connection with
this part of the work great praise is due to the captains

THE CROSS-CHANNEL SERVICE. 197

and the crews of the transport for their seamanlike
handling of the ships, and the consequent absence
of any serious accidents in collision, under the most
unfavourable conditions, arising out of the War.

In the second year of the war someone at the
Admiralty had the brilliant idea that the vessels
would run with greater safety at night than by day.
Those acquainted with the conditions were quite
convinced to the contrary, but under pressure the
officers and crews loyally carried out the instructions
they knew to be unwise, with the result that the
' ' Victoria ' ' had a very narrow escape from destruction.
After this experience the practice of day-sailings
was reverted to.

The South Eastern Company not only carried a
record tonnage far beyond anything regarded as
within the region of possibility, but Mr. C. Sheath and
his colleagues literally achieved the impossible. From
the commencement of the war to February, 19 19,
there were conveyed from Folkestone Harbour
in addition to passengers, 3,416 motor cars ; 192,468
tons of the Company's traffic ; nearly 91,000 tons of
Government stores ; 11,641 tons of material for Red
Cross Societies ; 383,098 mails and parcel post ; and
63,985 tons for Expeditionary Force Canteens ;
making a total tonnage, outwards and inwards, of
742,188. The tonnage of coal supplied to troops and
ambulance transports by the shore staffs at Folkestone
and Dover reached the amazing figure of 402,968 ;
while the number of lives saved by the Company's
steamers was not less than 3,203. The value of
stores purchased, inspected, and despatched by the
Managing Committee of the Company on behalf

I98 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

of the War Office to the Armies in France, Egypt,
Mesopotamia, Salonika, and Russia was £1,791,338.

From the commencement of hostilities to the
signing of the Peace, the numbers embarking and
landing at Folkestone Harbour, were : British officers
and men, 9,253,652 ; Allied officers and men, 537,523 ;
civilians engaged in Red Cross and other war work,
846,919 ; German prisoners of war, 3,592 ; making
the wonderful total of 10,641,686.

The Compa ny received the thanks of Field-Marshal
Sir Douglas Haig and the War Office.

CHAPTER XI.

PROVIDING SILVER BULLETS.

By The Editor.

Folkestone, in common with all the towns in the
country, responded to the call for Silver Bullets. The
amount of money raised for war purposes was a great
surprise to the most optimistic. The gratifying
result was attributable to the energy of the Mayor
and the various Committees, the generosity of the
Borough Member, and, most of all, the high spirit
of patriotism among the people. In recording the
services of the Mayor it may be noted that Sir Stephen
Penfold held office at the outbreak of war, and
by the election of the Council remained Mayor through
the five memorable years that followed. At the
commencement of hostilities Alderman Penfold, as
he was then, devoted practically the whole of his time
and energy to public work. He might very well have
claimed exemption ; he was at the eventide and had
served the community through a long series of years ;
but he was a tireless worker, and continued in office
with surprising tenacity. As a recognition of his
services to Belgian refugees, King Albert conferred
upon him one of the highest orders of Belgium. His
Majesty King George, in 1915, honoured him with
the Order of Knighthood, in recognition of his long
public services and the part which the town had
played in the early days of the War.

200 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

The Mayor had the invaluable assistance of Lady
Penfold and his daughter, in the many beneficent
works he attempted. Lady Penfold and Miss Queenie
Penfold arranged festivities for soldiers' wives and
children, and gladdened thousands of little people by
their hospitality. Their efforts in organising flag
days and collections for charities are well known.
Nearly £50,000 has been collected for national organ-
isations. Many residents rendered assistance, par-
ticularly Mr. A. E. Nichols, the Borough Surveyor, and
Mr. F. Scarborough, of the National Provincial Bank.

The Deputy- Mayor (Alderman G. Spurgen, J. P.) was
a great support to Sir Stephen during the strenuous
years. Mr. Spurgen was always ready to undertake
duties in the Council Chamber or at the Harbour,
and did much to lighten the burdens of his chief.

When Sir Stephen Penfold received his knighthood
a local committee was formed to give expression to
the high regard in which he and Lady Penfold were
held. Alderman Hall and Mr. Carlile acted as Hon.
Secretaries, and collected a considerable sum of money.
A presentation was made in the form of a handsome
set of silver, jewellery for Lady Penfold, and a cheque.
Mr. Lewis Coward, the learned Recorder, who himself
was knighted at a later period, expressed the sentiments
of the town in an eloquent speech.

The Town Hall was used as a canteen for soldiers
from July, 1915, to March, 1919. Refreshments
were served at standardised prices. The venture was
so successful that five per cent, of the gross takings
was given to the Mayor, acting for the Finance Com-
mittee. This amounted to the handsome sum of
£I»533 xs. 7d. £750 was paid to the Corporation as
rent for the Town Hall ; the remainder being contri-
buted to various charitable efforts.

PROVIDING SILVER BULLETS. 201

Mr. A. F. Kidson, the Town Clerk devoted much
time and energy to voluntary war work, and received
the distinction of O.B.E. in recognition of his
valuable services. The Borough Treasurer, Mr. W. H.
Routly and a great number of private residents
entered into the local efforts with enthusiasm. The
war work was far greater than was supposed. One
society alone turned out 34,600 garments for troops
and prisoners of war, and in addition the members
made up ioolbs. of wool work.

The collection of waste paper realised a respectable
sum.

The War Workers' Guild, organised by Mrs. Ames,
sent out nearly 100,000 dressings and garments
required by men in hospitals ; bandages, slippers,
pillows, bed-pads, and a thousand-and-one little
things that make for comfort were manipulated by
the busy fingers of the women. Nearly 50,000 bandages
and dressings were sent to the American Red Cross
Society. The Hospital and Nursing Committee, with
Dr. W. J. Tyson, J.P., as Chairman, and Mr. G. W.
Haines as Secretary, did excellent pioneer work,
particularly in creating interest and securing workers
from Folkestone and Hythe.

The War Savings Committee began operations in
October, 1916, with Mr. W. H. Routly, F.S.A.A., as
Hon. Secretary. Later Mr. G. E. Wythe was appoin-
ted Joint Hon. Secretary, and on his resignation Major
J. Compton took over the work. Mr. H. J. Gummer,
Deputy Borough Treasurer, was Hon. Treasurer.

A campaign was instituted, including the distribu-
tion of literature, cinema exhibitions, personal can-
vassing and public meetings. As a result of these
lctivities, forty-eight local War Savings Associations
were formed.

202 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

When the Government issued its big Five Per Cent.
War Loan, the Local Committee made a great effort to
reach all classes and interests in the town. Public
meetings were held, with the result that about £700,000
was subscribed.

Almost immediately the War Loan was completed
the Committee entered upon a campaign in support
of the Government's policy of food economy.
Voluntary rationing became popular ; food demon-
strations were given at the Domestic Centre and at
the Town Hall. Many house-keepers learned some-
thing more of the art of economical cookery and
fruit -preserving. During what was known as Business
Men's Week a further effort was made to secure
investors in War Bonds. Mr. Rudyard Kipling
delivered an address at the Pleasure Gardens Theatre,
which was printed and circulated throughout the
country gratuitously by Messrs. W. H. Smith and
Sons. The local result was the investment of
£54,000. War Weapons Week was inaugurated by
a strenuous campaign, largely assisted by Sir Philip
Sassoon. Over £200,000 was invested in War Bonds.
The fine work of the War Savings Committee was
recognised by the offer of a tank as a memorial.
Folkestone also had the opportunity to possess one of
the German Gothas, but there was a strong feeling
that it was undesirable to perpetuate the memory of
the air raid. Among those who rendered conspic-
uous services may be mentioned Mr. Henry Brooke,
Mr. Councillor Forsyth, Mr. H. W. Wheeler, Mr. G.
E. Wythe, Mr. B. J. Duncan Walker, Mr. F. A.
Aldridge, Mr. Eric Condy, and Major Compton.

This record would not be complete without a reference

PROVIDING SILVER BULLETS. 203

to the part played by Folkestone schools, both public
and private. It is a striking testimony, not only to
the willingness of the little folk to serve, but also to
the training which they have received. There was
scarcely a school that did not become a dispersal
depot for comforts for the troops, and many a class-
room became a busy hive of industry, under a teacher's
charge. Throughout the district of Hythe, Sandgate,
and Folkestone, the schools did exceptionally well
in war savings. Right from the commencement of
hostilities the movement continued to progress, first
by saving by 6d. stamps, and later by direct associ-
ation with the National Committee. Many a tiny tot
contributed a weekly saving of a few pence, prompted
by the hope and prayer that the War would end
sooner, or that Daddy would come back earlier. Grace
Hill School has the honour of reaching the highest
sum invested by any Council School in Kent. Over
£10,600 was the magnificent total.

The Prince of Wales's Commmittee was inaugurated
for the relief of distress anticipated among the
industrial classes. The local administration of the
Fund was in the hands of a Committee, under the
auspices of the Local Government Board. The
first Secretary was Mr. R. J. Linton, J.P., who was
succeeded by Mr. E. T. Ward, J. P. Happily there was
no industrial distress in Folkestone as a consequence
of the War, and until the autumn of 191 7 the Committee
had to deal with very few applications for assistance.
At that period, owing mainly to the air raid, the
town had lost many visitors, and applications for
assistance by apartment house keepers began to be
made. Help in the form of weekly money grants on

204 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

a prescribed scale, was given to 43 applicants,
the funds being furnished by the Local Government
Board. The action of the Committee was restricted
to the relief of civilian distress ; the dependents
of soldiers and sailors being assisted by another
Committee. Mr. J. Andrew, Clerk to the Magistrates,
was Secretary to the Committee. He had the assist-
ance of the Rev. H. Ep worth Thompson, J. P.

The Prisoners of War Fund was inaugurated by Mrs.
Blair and Mr. Councillor Harrison, J. P., in Folkestone,
and by the Mayor at Hythe. Parcels of food and
comforts were sent week by week to the unfortunate
men incarcerated in Germany.

Organisations for brightening the lot of the
soldiers sprang up all over the country, and were well
represented in our town. The mere enumeration of
the names of the War Workers' Funds and Committees
would occupy considerable space. The Cigarette
Fund collected thousands of packets of cigarettes and
tobacco. The ' ' Daily Telegraph ' ' Christmas Pudding
Fund had a special day. Flag days and house-to-
house collections were so frequent that one wondered
whether there was sufficient genius to invent a fresh
reason for a collection.

Busy workers met together in Church halls and
private houses to make various kinds of garments
for the boys on the other side. It is impossible to
record the number of separate articles sent over.
Many women took pleasure in the consciousness that
they were at least doing something for the comfort of
the men who were enduring so much for the protection
of the country.

Our gallant Allies were worthily represented in the

PROVIDING SILVER BULLETS. 205

charitable efforts which were made. M. Corbes, the
French Consul, and his wife were very popular
in connection with charitable functions, and not-
withstanding the Consul's onerous duties, he seemed
always willing to give the time required to assist
others. This may be a fitting place to give some details
of the work of the French Consulate. It is impossible
for the uninitiated to form any conception of
the multifarious duties undertaken by a Consul.
Owing to the special organisation of the Consular
service, the functions of the office were multifarious.
M. Corbes filled the place of Recruiting Officer, Naval
Administrator, Registrar, and Barrister. He was
also responsible for the reports on economic and
commercial subjects, besides dealing with passports
and visas. He was empowered by the Minister of
War to call up all Frenchmen of military age in the
area ; to see that they submitted to a medical exam-
ination ; and with him was the final decision as to
their fitness for service. As representative of the
French Ministry of War, he was also in charge of the
French soldiers while in Folkestone. This was an
important office, as many thousands on leave or duty,
as well as prisoners of war, escaped from Germany,
were cared for in the area.

In his capacity of Administration Officer for the
Navy, the French Consul was entrusted with the
interests of all French soldiers landed in England
including wounded and sick men. He had to make
arrangements for burials and weddings.

He had also to choose experts to examine and report
on damage done to French ships ; receive and forward
to the Minister of Marine the reports of captains in

206 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

command of ships which were torpedoed or relating to
accidents on board.

M. Corbes, while in Folkestone, has written several
reports on economic and commercial conditions,
which have been published by the "Office Francais
du Commerce Exterieur. ' ' The object of these reports
was to establish closer contact between French and
British industries, and they were highly commended
in the Press of both countries.

The Consul's secretary, M. Albert Payniez, gave
very able assistance in all matters relating to the
office. The staff won high praise for its efficiency
and courtesy, and did much to create that spirit of
goodwill which is the foundation of the Entente
Cordiale.

M. Pierre Turpin, a townsman of Lille, who came to
reside in Folkestone, graciously offered his services
without salary. He had charge of the comforts of
French refugees who happened to be ill or destitute.
He regularly visited patients in the hospitals, and did
exceedingly useful work.

It is particularly pleasing to be able to place on
record the complete harmony which existed during
the War between the population of Folkestone, the
French and Belgian colonies, and those representatives
of other nationalities temporarily residing in the
town. This happy condition largely resulted from
the personal influence of the French Consul himself,
though he was gracious enough to attribute it to
others.

The Italian colony was under the care of Cavaliere
Ronco, who was always ready to lend a helping hand
to his unfortunate countrymen. When Italy entered

PROVIDING SILVER BULLETS. 207

the War, an arrangement was made by which Italians
living in the town agreed to a voluntary levy of so
much per week for the support of the dependents of
their brothers who were called to join the Army.
Cavaliere Ronco arranged several flag days and
concerts on behalf of the Italian Red Cross, and
succeeded in getting Italy's most famous band to visit
the town and to give a performance at the Theatre,
thus adding a large sum to the funds of the Allied
charities.

CHAPTER XII.

THE LEAS AS AN OBSERVATION POST.
By H. H.

Folkestone was the bit of England in closest
proximity to the most critical part of the fighting front
occupied by the British Army, hence it was the one
place in England which provided scenes more resem-
bling those to be witnessed on the Continent during the
progress of the great world war, although the
inhabitants of the town were, with the exception of
one or two instances, spared from the horrors of
devastation and destruction. The famous Leas
overlooked one of England's main defences, the
Channel, and throughout the whole of the war no more
interesting place could be imagined in the British Isles.
From a strategical point of view, Folkestone, under the
wing of that great fortress, Dover, played a most
important part in the fight against the German nation
in its attempt to obtain world power, and that the
enemy realised its supreme importance was de-
monstrated by the many attempts to bring the terrors
of war to the very streets of the town. That it
succeeded in doing so on one occasion only was a
sterling tribute to the defenders of our shores,
particularly those gallant men of the Dover Patrol.

From the outbreak of hostilities, Folkestone sprang
into great prominence, and the Leas became an

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THE LEAS AS AN OBSERVATION POST. 209

observation post for many interesting and exciting,
and even sad occurrences. The district also assumed
tremendous importance in the early months of the
world war by reason of its excellent facilities for
training troops. Camps sprang up with amazing
rapidity, and at first many thousands of Lord
Kitchener's Army carried out the preliminary work
necessary to fit them for active service. Their places
were ultimately taken by the Canadian Second
Division, which was destined to perform such
marvellous deeds in the field, and those brave men were
followed by others from the great Dominion.
Canadians thus became intimately associated with the
life of Folkestone and Hythe, and finally appeared to
be an essential part of the various activities of the
district.

The rush of refugees was the first incident to bring
home to Folkestone people what war meant, for there
passed along the streets long and sad processions of
homeless people. Then came the arrival of wounded
British soldiers only a few days after they went into
action at Mons, and those men were the first of the
finest Army which ever went out of England to return
to this country. Previously to this a large number of
German and Austrian reservists trying to return to
assist their country were held up at the Harbour and
escorted away by armed troops, eventually becoming
inmates of internment camps. The processions
through the streets caused no little astonishment at
the time, and here again Folkestone was in the fore-
front ot the capture of prisoners, many hundreds of
men failing to slip across to their Fatherland.

In those early days there followed incident after

210 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WARS

incident which evoked feelings of bitterness against
Germany. The torpedoing of the Amiral Ganteaume
was a dastardly act, and there would have been an
appalling death roll but for the gallantry of the captain
and crew of the S.S. Queen, the mail boat running
between Folkestone and Boulogne. The first time
Folkestone people heard the boom of guns in defence
of the shores of England was when the German
submarines attacked Dover in the first December of
war. Mines and submarines brought hidden dangers
in the Channel as time went on, and ships were sunk
by these means, several going down in full view of those
people who happened to be on the Leas. These losses
resulted in defensive measures being taken by the
authorities, and what was known as the Folkestone
Gate was instituted. The Gate consisted of two
lightships placed off the Pier head, the nearer being
two and half miles from the Pier and the other a little
less than a mile further out in the Channel. Between
these two vessels all ships going up or down the Channel
had to pass. Then laid across the narrow straits
towards the French coast was a steel net fixed to large
wood floats. This net was effective against submarines
for a time, but wire cutters were eventually fitted to
the undersea craft, and after some considerable time
the net had to be removed because of the difficulty
experienced in keeping it in position owing to the
currents. On a clear day the floats were clearly
visible from Folkestone practically right across the
Channel. Other measures as time went on were taken
to fight the submarines, the crews of which feared the
depth charges used by the patrol vessels and the mines,
the fields for which extended as time went on until

THE LEAS AS AN OBSERVATION POST. 211

there was a huge mine area in front of Folkestone
Leas. Airships also joined in the hunt of the
submarines, and the airships, which were berthed at a
large station erected at Capel, provided picturesque
scenes to the visitors to the town when employed in
searching the depths of the Channel, and many
submarines and mines were discovered by the
crews of these vessels. The losses of merchant ships
fluctuated as fresh steps were taken to combat the
lurking peril below the water's surface. In the last
year of the war, the light barrage brought about the
defeat of the German submarines' efforts in the
Channel. The barrage was situated off Folkestone, a
number of anchored ships carrying powerful search-
lights, forming practically a square, providing the
principal illuminant, but inside the square were small
vessels which burnt flares of a million candle power at
intervals, so that no submarine could break through
on the surface at night without being attacked.
Altogether 125,000 ships passed through the Straits
during the war, and only 73 were sunk, including the
hospital ship "Anglia," which had just passed
Folkestone on its way to Dover from Boulogne.

Zeppelins, when they commenced their raids, visited
the district and passed over the town on several
occasions. One of these marauding aircraft, however,
found Otterpool Camp, which was occupied by the
Canadian Field Artillery, in October, 1915, and as the
bombs exploded, the reports were distinctly heard and
the vibration felt in Folkestone. It was about nine
o'clock in the evening, and the many promenaders
on the Leas saw the flashes when the bombs burst,
A number of Canadians and about 40 horses were killed

212 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

in the attack. In August of 191 6 a super-Zeppelin
of the most improved type attempted to do destruction
at Folkestone. It approached the town from the
direction of Sandgate and floated on the breeze
immediately down the Leas . When over the Harbour
it hung well up in the darkness as though poised for
dropping its cargo of bombs. However, suddenly
the searchlight from the top of Dover Hill shot its beam
of light upon it, illuminating it from stem to stern.
Immediately the guns crashed out, and the Zeppelin
rose higher and higher, speedily making off
towards the French coast, dropping its bombs with
resounding crashes into the sea. The guns from Dover
and from ships in the Channel took part in the fight,
and a thrilling sight was presented to those who
hurriedly went on to the Leas as the huge airship ran
the gauntlet of the searchlights and the bursting shells.
In what was described as the silent air raid by
Zeppelins on England in the autumn of 1917 the Dover
Hill gun was the only one fired at the aircraft in this
country. At least two returned by way of Folkestone
from their raid on London, and the first was fired at.
As it went out to sea a tremendous splashing noise was
heard, and it was thought that it had been hit and so
lost one of its under carriages, which had fallen in the
sea. As the second crossed over the town aeroplanes
carrying lights, apparently in pursuit, passed over
in the wake of the airship. This was the occasion
when such a heavy toll was paid by the invaders
in France, whither they were driven by the wind.

The German torpedo destroyers operating from
Zeebrugge and Ostend on three occasions carried out
operations as far as Folkestone, which, however,

THE LEAS AS AN OBSERVATION POST. 213

fortunately escaped shelling. The enemy forces, how-
ever, on each occasion adopted the cut and run tactics,
and avoided a fight with anything like equal forces.
On October 27th, 1916, they dashed out of port on a
very dark night, evidently with the idea of interfering
with the transport service between Folkestone and
Boulogne. It was about eleven o'clock that the ships
came into action, and the stabbing flashes and the
rolling noise of the guns south-east of Folkestone
disturbed the people of the town. The result was that
H.M.S. "Flirt" was sunk. While the fighting was
proceeding in that spot, the S.S. "Queen," which was
used as a transport, was coming across from Boulogne,
when suddenly, near the Varne Bank, the crew found
their vessel surrounded by enemy ships. They were
ordered to stop, and on doing so the ship was boarded
by German officers and men. The crew were then told
to lower their boats and leave the ship. They obeyed
orders, and the Germans placed bombs in the ship, and
the resultant explosions shook the town. The ' ' Queen, "
however, did not sink at once, but drifted beyond Dover,
where she eventually went down. One of the crew of
the transport, a Folkestone man, lost his life.

The next time the German craft appeared off this
part of the coast they paid dearly for their adventure.
The world was thrilled with the exploits of H.M.S.
' ' Broke ' ' and H.M.S. ' ' Swift, ' ' which tackled a much
superior force of the enemy (who tried to avoid a fight),
and meted just punishment out to the raiders. Some
hours previously a strong enemy flotilla, again taking
advantage of the high tide to ride over the mine fields
and the darkness, crept out of port and dashed across
to the English coast. Their presence was not dis-

214 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

covered until they sent up brilliant star shells when
apparently about four miles off Folkestone. The
streets of the town were lit up by the shells, and
immediately a heavy bombardment of the coast began.
Whether the Germans were out in an attempt to smash
up the Capel Air Station or not can only be assumed,
but shells fell fast and furious about half a mile to the
east of the aerodrome. The whistle of the projectiles
could be heard by the people in the streets of the town,
but the shells fell harmlessly in the fields close to the
examining guard station. An officer's hut narrowly
missed destruction, and a sentry box was literally
peppered with shrapnel. The bombardment lasted for
about ten minutes, after which the destroyers made for
their lairs. The ' ' Broke" and ' ' Swift ' ' were to the
east of Dover, and ran into the enemy as they were
returning. Action was immediately oegun, and again
bright flashes and heavy rumbles showed to the people
on the coast that the enemy were not escaping without
a grim fight. The two British vessels against their six
opponents put up a gallant fight, and the record of
their deeds will ever be a bright page in the history of
the Navy, for they sank two ot the raiding ships and
possibly a third.

Then in February, 1918, the German torpedo
destroyers came into the Straits with the clear intention
of breaking up, if possible, the light barrage placed in
the Channel to combat the U-boats. It was about one
o'clock in the morning that the thunder of guns broke
the stillness of the night, and the streets of Folkestone
re-echoed with the heavy reverberations. The enemy
craft were apparently quite close in, and they
immediately engaged a number of drifters chasing a

THE LEAS AS AN OBSERVATION POST. 215

U-boat in the barrage. The firing continued on and off
for about an hour, and it was evident to the many on-
lookers on the shore that very speedy vessels were
engaged, for the flashes from the guns showed that the
action was continuing across the Channel from
Folkestone towards Cape Gris Nez. Although seven
drifters and one trawler were sunk, the light barrage
never faltered, and the men on those ships kept on
their ceaseless watches. Two or three shells were fired
inland, but fell in fields between Folkestone and Dover.
On the following night the barrage was even stronger
than on the previous night, thus demonstrating that the
Germans' efforts had been futile. However, on that
night Dover was again bombarded for about five
minutes, and the slumbers of Folkestone people were
again disturbed.

In the last two years of the war the Leas was a spot
from which the great air offensive by the Germans on
the chief ports in Northern France could be seen very
frequently. On a favourable evening it was almost a
certainty that an attack would be made either on
Calais or Boulogne, or some other place on the coast,
and as darkness fell so there appeared over the French
coast a sudden stab of light in the heavens. Then the
distant rumble of guns followed, and usually the fight-
ing lasted at least an hour, sometimes extending over
three or four hours. In August, 1917, the moonlight
raids had not really commenced on this country, and
one of the first was made at the time the Dover fortress
guns were carrying out a night practice. The Leas was
filled with people anxious to see the guns firing. Their
attention was attracted to the French coast and well
inland by seeing hundreds of what appeared to be

21 6 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

twinkling stars continually breaking light in the sky.
Such a state of things continued for about an hour, when
suddenly the Dover guns at practice rang out. A few
minutes ensued, then the hum of an aeroplane could be
heard approaching. It was not long before the
terrifying noise of bursting bombs followed as the
machine dropped its death-dealing load on Dover.
This was the commencement of a series of raids on this
country right through the autumn and into the winter.
It was a thrilling sight to see the guns fighting the air-
craft with their barrage fire, and one incident in
February, 1918, will live in the memory of everyone
who witnessed it. A raider returning from London
was caught in the searchlights well over the hills to the
north-east of Folkestone. The pilot evidently did not
care to face the barrage with which he would be met by
the Dover guns, so he turned to the westward, probably
with the idea of getting free of the brilliant lights.
The huge machine flew across Folkestone from east to
west, and the guns made splendid practice. The
aeroplane appeared to be made of silver in the glare of
the searchlights, and the shells could be followed in
their flight towards it. Thousands of people watched
the fight which ensued for several minutes, but the
aeroplane, try as it would, could not evade the piercing
rays from the lights. Shells apparently burst all round
the machine, and ultimately one appeared to explode
right beneath the aeroplane, which fell straight out of
the beams of light, and nothing further was heard of it.
The official communique later in the day announced
that one machine was brought down in the sea. In the
July and August of the last year of war raids on Calais
and Boulogne were of nightly occurrence, and were

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plainly seen from the promenade. The great raid on
the British hospitals at Eta pies was plainly heard at
Folkestone and the bursting of the shells could be seen
from the Leas. In fact the vibration was so greft
from the raid that Folkestone shook during its progress,
and the noise of the guns seemed only a few miles
distant. During the whole of the war about no
air raid warnings were received by the authorities.

Folkestone was also an important centre dealing
with British aircraft, for within a few months of
hostilities commencing aeroplanes were sent to
Hawkinge previous to their despatch to France. Later
a big aerodrome was erected at Lympne, near Hythe,
and this was utilised by machines proceeding to the
fighting front. Most of the aeroplanes flew towards
Folkestone before crossing the Channel, and many
thousands of aeroplanes passed over to the Continent
by this route. The first passenger -carrying service
by the Handley-Page machines was instituted
in 1918 by the Royal Air Force, and the giant aeroplane
could be seen daily making its flight to and from
Marquise, in France. It was known as the Channel
Ferry and was used for bringing back to England the
pilots engaged in taking out new machines to France.
In the first four months, 227 trips were made, 8,085
miles were covered, and 1,843 passengers transported,
and this was accomplished in days when a passenger-
carrying service was supposed to be a thing of the
future.

On a perfect summer evening in July, 19 18, three sea-
planes were seen making towards Folkestone Harbour.
The Admiralty motor launch from Dover, carrying
Vice-Admiral Sir Roger Keyes, at the same time left

2l8 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

the Harbour. The seaplanes gracefully settled on the
calm sea, and the motor launch went towards them.
From two of the seaplanes climbed the King and the
Queen of the Belgians, who were thus the first Royal-
ties to cross the Channel by aeroplane. They were
welcomed by Admiral Sir Roger Keyes, in whose motor
launch they were taken to the Pier, where they were
received by the Naval and Military Authorities of the
Port. Queen Elisabeth expressed her enjoyment
of the flight, and said she had crossed in 25 minutes.
The Royal visitors then proceeded to the Grand Hotel
by motor car, and stayed the night there. On the
following morning they walked along the Leas and in
Sandgate Road, previous to their departure for London
by motor. They returned from London on the follow-
ing Thursday, but owing to a strong south-westerly
breeze they could not fly to France and had to make the
crossing by ship.

Men of all the Allied nations were seen during the war
marching along the front on their way to the battle
zone. In the early stages the Rest Camp in the Marine
Parade was the only place provided for their accommo-
dation, but other places were taken over as time pro-
ceeded. Many thousands of Canadians passed along
the Lower Sandgate Road from their training grounds
in the Shorncliffe area to be transported across the
Channel. Then the Chinese Labour Corps and the
South African natives, also needed as working parties,
marched by the sea after staying for a short time at the
Labour Concentration Camp near Caesar's Camp.
Americans too made Folkestone a resting place
after their long journey from their native land on their
way to assist in the upholding of justice and liberty.

THE LEAS AS AN OBSERVATION POST. 2IO,

The first contingent arrived in April of 1918, and then
in May a further fine body of men, numbering several
thousands, stayed several days in the town. Their
bands gave delight to many thousands of people on the
Leas, and those gallant men of the American continent
won for themselves the greatest respect and esteem of
the townspeople by their upright bearing and true
soldierly conduct. They came with a great purpose,
and they heard the first noise of warfare in Folkestone
when the echo of the guns in France came across the
narrow silver streak. The daily sight of the finest
manhood of the world passing down the Slope Road
and along the other roads was a spectacle which will
ever be treasured in the memory of those who
witnessed it, for those men went light-heartedly to
the severest trials ever imposed on men.

Associated with Folkestone in most important war
work were the surrounding districts. Hythe was one
of the principal schools for preparing for aerial combat.
Its ranges were utilised as a school of aerial gunnery,
and here pilots and observers were trained in the new
kind of warfare in the air. In the opening days of the
great conflict motor machine guns were stationed
in the ancient Cinque Port, which also became a training
ground for the balloon section of the Forces. The
School of Musketry had much to do with making a large
section of Lord Kitchener's First Army, and the
Canadians as well, so proficient with the rifle that
they rivalled the fine " Contemptibles," whose musketry
so surprised the enemy when they first came in contact
with them.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE WORK OF THE CHURCHES.
By Eric Condy.

In the early days of August, 191 4, the Senior
Chaplain of the Garrison, the Rev. R. Deane Oliver,
entered enthusiastically into the work of providing
institutions for the social life of the troops in the
town and district. He called together a few members
of the Church of England, from the various churches
in the town, and it was decided to open a Club for
Soldiers in Folkestone. No other suitable building
being available, they approached the Rev. Canon
Tindall, Vicar of Folkestone, and the authorities
of the Parish Church, who readily agreed to lend the
Woodward Institute. A Committee, under the chair-
manship of Mr. A. R. Bowles, A.M.I.C.E., was formed.
The Club was opened on August 30th, and from the
first proved a great success. Men of every unit in
the British Army made it a rendezvous for themselves
and their comrades, and as soon as the Canadians
arrived they came nightly in their hundreds.

On Sundays, and occasionally on weekdays, services
were held by various clergymen. Twice a week during
the winter and once a week during the summer,
concerts were provided by amateur concert parties,
and the Playhouse Orchestra gave their services
voluntarily once a month. In the large hall were
billiard, ping-pong, and writing tables ; writing

THE WORK OF THE CHURCHES. 221

paper and envelopes were provided free of charge ;
a Club Post Office supplied stamps, postal orders, and
pictorial cards ; tobacco, cigarettes, chocolate, biscuits,
and soap were on sale, and the catering department
supplied tea, coffee, cocoa, non-alcoholic drinks, and
all manner of eatables at the lowest possible charges.
On very busy evenings as many as fifty loaves, one
thousand teas, and six hundred eggs were consumed.
A staff of over fifty was required to look after the
comfort of the men, and volunteers were readily
obtained. The Club was worked on business lines,
was entirely self-supporting, and at the close there
was a balance sufficient to cover the cost of repairs and
decorations when the premises were finally vacated.
Many deserving institutions received subscriptions,
varying from £10 to £25, from the Club funds.

For the first two years of the War free Christmas
dinners were given to a number of soldiers.
In a short account it would be impossible to
mention all who sacrificed time and energy to
make the Club a success — the sense of hard work done
for God and humanity, together with the constantly-
spoken and written gratitude of the men, must be their
chief reward. The fact that this was the first Club
opened and that it remained open throughout the
war is recorded as a grateful testimony to all who
worked there and strove to encourage the people of
Folkestone to consider the need of providing permanent
institutions, on the same fines, for the young men
and women of the town. The Rev. David Railton,
senior Curate of the Parish Church, who took a great
interest in the club in its early days, became a Chaplain
of the Forces and served in France for three years,
receiving the distinction of the M.C.

222 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

Throughout the war the Parish Church Branch of
the Church of England Temperance Society worked
with great energy in the interest of the sailors and
soldiers. It had the advantage of an enthusiastic
Committee, of which Mr. J. A. Abbott was the Secretary.
Socials and dances were provided every Monday and
Thursday for the men, their relations and friends,
in the lower Woodward Hall, and refreshments were
provided by the Clewer Sisters, who work in the parish,
assisted by many willing helpers. These socials, which
were always well attended, were a great attraction
to the Canadian troops, and resulted in many
invitations to visit the homes of Folkestone residents.

With all other places of worship in the town, Christ
Church shared the privilege of serving as a spiritual
home for the gallant men who were quartered in the
district. From August, 1914, onwards the Imperials
and Canadians attended the services, especially on
Sunday evenings, in large numbers. Many who
belonged to church choirs out West joined that of
Christ Church during their stay, proving regular and
enthusiastic substitutes for the Folkestone members
who had joined up. Many Canadian Chaplains — fine
preachers all — ministered in the Church from time to
time and the worshippers in khaki, by their rapt
attention, manly reverence, and simple heartiness, set
a good example to the whole congregation.

In September, 19 14, the Parish Hall in Victoria
Grove was opened as a Club for Soldiers, under the
management of a Committee headed by the Rev. L.
G. Grey, Vicar. To the splendid energy of Mrs.
Theobald, the lady in charge, and Mrs. H. Evans,
Hon. Secretary, the Club owed the principal measure

THE WORK OF THE CHURCHES. 223

of its success. The atmosphere of home and friendli-
ness which marked the life of the Club soon proved
a strong magnet to the boys, far from their homes and
new to a soldier's life. And here must be recorded
the great loss the Club sustained by the death, in 1915,
of Miss Laura Roberts, of whom it may be truly said
that she had worn herself out in her labours for the
boys, and was the first of that splendid band of civilian
war workers who gave their lives for their country.
With the departure of the last of Kitchener's Army
in 19 15, and the opening of many other institutions
in the town, the necessity for this particular Club came
to an end. The Rev. L. G. Grey threw himself
enthusiastically into war work of various kinds, and his
powerful speech in Radnor Park, delivered during
"Aeroplane Week," in connection with the War
Savings Campaign, will long be remembered.

In connection with Holy Trinity Church, a Soldiers'
Club at the Parish Room was opened by General Spens
in October, 1914. During the winter the daily
attendance varied from 200 to 500. £400 was
subscribed in addition to many donations in the shape
of furniture and fittings, which enabled the Committee
to supply good and cheap refreshments, stationery,
games, books, and newspapers. Concerts, whist drives,
special teas, Christmas parties, and theatre parties were
of frequent occurrence. The Hon. Secretary,
Inspector-General O' Grady, R.N., assisted by a loyal
band of workers, made the Club one of the most popular
and successful. In 191 5 a most welcome donation of
£58 was received from the Canadian troops, who wrote :
' ' We very much appreciate the Club and consider it
the best institution of the kind in the neighbourhood. ' *

224 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

The balance in hand at the close, in 1919, was dis-
tributed among local and military charities.

Among the more tragic and pitiful episodes of the
early weeks of the war may be noted the arrrival, at
all hours of the day and night, of fishing- boats
full of Belgian refugees, landing at the slipway opposite
the Fish-market, being helped by the stalwart, kindly-
hearted fishermen, whose wives had prepared bowls of
hot soup, and other good souls who came out of the
Radnor Street passages with steaming pots of coffee
for the weary wanderers who had completed the
perilous voyage in the darkness of the night and come
to safety. It was a common sight to see lines of pallid
women sitting on the pavement under the wall of St.
Michael's Church, waiting their turn to be attended to
at the Husband Memorial Hall, which had been speedily
turned into a shelter for them, and where the Vicar
and his little company of church workers did yeoman
service in succouring the poor hungry refugees and
providing them with warm clothing in place of their
wet garments. These poor creatures were often moved
to tears of gratitude by the kindly help and sympathy
extended to them.

Afterwards, when the Belgian Refugees Committee
got to work and better arrangements were made, the
Parish Hall became a Club for the Belgian soldiers
passing through the town, under the title of ' ' Militaire
Cercle Albert, ' ' and became a happy meeting-place for
many thousands of them.

Several ladies of the congregation of St. Peter's
Church exerted themselves in attending to the wants
of the Belgian refugees on their arrival, often finding
them lodgings or getting them well housed in the

THE WORK OF THE CHURCHES. 225

country — as well as in effecting the reunion of families
whom the panic and confusion of the embarkation had
separated. One of the most stirring events of the
early days of the War was the arrival, very early one
morning, of a fleet of fishing-boats and barges, bringing
fishermen and their terrified families from the
Belgian coast. Many of the refugees found hospitality
in East Street and Radnor Street and the children
were welcomed at St. Peter's Schools. St. Peter's
Club gave shelter to a large number of families, and the
Rev. E. A. Jordan, Assistant Priest, was indefatigable
in collecting food and ministering to these unfortunate
people. His motor-car was continually traversing
the town on errands of mercy. He was also instru-
mental in providing one of the earliest clubs for soldiers
in Tontine Street.

Late in the autumn of 191 5 a wish was expressed by
the Military Authorities that the churches would do
all that was possible to attract the soldiers away from
the streets on Sunday evenings. The Council of
Radnor Park Congregational Church decided to
initiate an evening service of less conventional type
than the ordinary and to make it widely known to the
troops. The result was a continuous series which ran
from Christmas, 1915, until the summer of 1918. On
many occasions the attendance was so large that the
seating capacity was strained to the utmost. Music
filled a large place in these services. The ordinary
framework of public worship was never disturbed,
but most jealously safeguarded. There were four
hymns, sung to familiar tunes, prayer, Scripture
reading, and short address. To this were added one,
or sometimes two, anthems, two vocal, and often violin

226 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

or violincello solos, and, generally, instrumental music
by a military band. The popular military service was
an experiment, and undoubtedly a successful one.

Soon after the outbreak of war, the Rev. A. Allon
Smith called a meeting of his congregation, when it
was unanimously decided to place the Lecture Hall of
Radnor Park Church at the disposal of the military.
The Club was opened, by General Spens, on 12th
October, 19 14. Mrs. T. A. Mummery took charge of
the catering arrangements, and, with the assistance of a
willing band of helpers, carried them out most success-
fully during five winters. Mr. T. A. Mummery, the
Superintendent, must be credited with having created a
record in being absent on only five occasions out of
1,141 evenings. There were many generous donors of
papers, magazines, books, sets of draughts, chessmen,
and dominoes, and bagatelle boards, and Mr. F.
Fletcher presented a billiard table, which was much
appreciated and used. The number of signatures
in the attendance book was 9,580, but it is probable
that 12,000 men made use of the room. Many warm
friendships were made, and after their removal to the
front many of these men kept in touch with the Club
by periodical correspondence — one soldier sent a
Christmas card headed "Radnor Park Dug-out."

The number of letters posted in the club box reached
the large total of 20,288. The idea, at the outset, was
that the Club should be self-supporting, and this was
successfully accomplished. The profit from the
refreshments was sufficient to pay for the lighting,
heating, and cooking. Each Christmas the men were
entertained as the guests of the helpers, all the
provisions being given by the generous friends of the
Church.

THE WORK OF THE CHURCHES. 227

The outbreak of war and the urgent demands of the
numerous refugees immediately affected the many
organisations of the Folkestone (Tontine Street)
Congregational Church, which is the largest Free
Church in Folkestone. Possessing premises extensive
and easily adaptable, the officers and members of
the Church at once made every effort possible to
cope with the new situation.

Members of the Church opened their homes to
hospitably entertain refugees, and closed down many
church activities to utilise the premises for social
service. During the whole of the war period a large
Institute, equipped with billiard tables, table games,
also a Badminton court, was opened.

A canteen was staffed by the voluntary services of
the Church ladies, and for more than four years, despite
the difficulties of rationing and Food Control, the
canteen was maintained for service men .

In addition to providing food, shelter, and clothing
for the refugees, the Church, although depleted of its
manhood by the enlistment of over 200 men in the
Forces, collected many tons of vegetables for the
Fleet, which work received high commendation from
Sir David Beatty, the British Admiral. In January,
1918, the Church erected a Roll of Honour to the men
who joined the fighting forces.

The first Wall Tablet, bearing 180 names, was un-
veiled by Sir Philip Sassoon, Bart., M.P., on January
14th, 1918.

The Sunday services were organised with a view to
meeting the requirements of the troops ; bands
were substituted for the church organ, and thousands
of men attended. The Pastor of the Church, the

228 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

Rev. Henry T. Cooper, preached and lectured under
Y.M.C.A. auspices as well as maintaining a vigorous
campaign in closer relation to his Church work, and the
tributes of men from overseas, replying to the Pastor's
personal messages, proved that the Church, under
the stress of war conditions, was not found wanting.

A further Roll of Honour is to be erected, and
commemorative Choir Stalls with structural alterations
are about to be made to complete the scheme. In a
very special way this Church set itself to deal with
the exigencies of war demands, and to its rigorous
activity for the benefit of all classes not a few are glad
to testify.

Not only at Grace Hill Church, but at Canterbury
Road, the Wesleyan body did all that was possible to
make the men of the Imperial, South African, Canadian,
and Australian Forces welcome. The special services
were well attended, and some highly-successful enter-
tainments and "At Homes" were arranged in the
school-room, which was transformed into a Soldiers'
Club. Occasionally, when a man was starting for the
front a little ' ' send off ' ' was insisted on. On one such
occasion the guest of the evening made this parting
speech : "I came here an absolute stranger ; every-
body in this room has been my friend. If I ever return
to these shores, this is the first spot I shall seek. ' '
Another night a group of American soldiers turned in
before leaving and asked to express their thanks. One
of them drew a pocket Bible from his tunic. Holding
it up, a piece of bunting floated from it, and he said
' ' In the strength of the Old Book and the ' Old Glory '
we have come across the seas, and in the same strength
we go to-morrow to fight for you. ' '

THE WORK OF THE CHURCHES. 229

The presence of so many soldiers led to considerable
changes in the work of the Folkestone Baptist Church.
The evening service was adapted to meet the special
needs of men, and through the whole period of the
War the Sunday evening service was very largely
attended by soldiers.

An Institute was opened in the Lecture Hall. The
canteen was under the superintendence of Mrs. Carlile,
with the able assistance of Miss A. Sherwood, Mrs.
Beall and Mrs. George Pope. Mr. Froggatt arranged
French classes ; Mr. Councillor Boyd and Mr. Councillor
Morrison helped to make the men feel at home. The
club was very popular, and was finally taken over by
the National Y.M.C.A. When the Luton Hut was
erected the staff was transferred from the Baptist
Church.

A correspondence club was maintained to keep in
touch with men who joined the Army, and many letters
were written to Folkestone boys and to those who
stayed in the town with their regiments for brief
periods.

The coming of the refugees necessitated special
activities. A French service was held every Sunday
afternoon. Among the preachers was Pasteur
Saillens, the distinguished Parisian orator, and P.
Blommaert, who afterwards became the Chaplain-
General for the Protestants in the Belgian Army. M.
Blommaert, while in Folkestone, became acquainted
with the work of the United Army Board, and
determined to endeavour to create a similar organisa-
tion for his countrymen. He received the authority
of King Albert, and the Protestant chaplaincy service
became an accomplished fact. Pasteur Nock and M.

23O FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

Bains were in charge of the services, with the assistance
of M. Catinous and M. Dupree. Meetings were held
frequently during the week, and assistance given to
those in need. M. Bains raised a large sum of money
for the relief of Protestant Christians who remained in
Belgium, and Pasteur Nock succeeded in supplement-
ing the sum by some hundreds of pounds. The Minister
of the Church and Pasteur Nock became the local
representatives of the Belgian Chaplaincy Service.

A special fund was raised for the assistance of
Belgian Protestant Pasteurs. The Minister of the
Church made an appeal through the ' ' Christian World ' '
and the "British Weekly," with the result that a
considerable sum of money was sent to the Treasurer,
Mr. A. Stace, J. P.

Letters and comforts were sent to Belgian soldiers.
Pasteur Nock and Miss E. K. Stace devoted much time
to the French correspondence, and received many
expressions of gratitude.

For the Canadians "Conferences" on the deeper
questions of religion were held and "At Homes" and
concert parties arranged. More than forty soldiers
were connected with the choir, which for some time was
under the direction of Lieutenant Brown and
Lieutenant Ford, both Canadians.

Invitations were issued from members of the church
and congregation for soldiers to join the family group
at tea on Sunday afternoons. The idea grew in favour
until about three hundred boys were guests week by
week.

The Minister of the Church, at the request of the
chaplains and the Y.M.C.A., gave one or two nights per
week to meetings in the huts, and finally visited all the

THE WORK OF THE CHURCHES. 231

Canadian camps in the country for a series of con-
ferences on religion.

Sister Rosamond became nurse to unmarried mothers
who were unable to pay for trained assistance. Her
aid was very welcome, and her useful work gave new
hope to many girls and women in their darkest hours.

About the middle of October, 1914, the Salvation
Army arranged their small h?ll as a Soldiers' Club, and
this was used until other and larger premises were
devoted to the same purpose. In November of the
same year, Mr. Franklin, the Local Government Board
representative on the Refugees Committee, enlisted
the help of the Salvationists in attending to the wants
of the poor Belgians who had fled from their country.
The first party accommodated in the hall consisted of
150 Ostend fisher-folk, who stayed a week and were
afterwards despatched to their various destinations.
In December, 1915, the Adjutant in charge was asked
by Colonel Aytoun, Embarkation Officer, to accommo-
date the relatives of wounded men passing through the
town on the way to and from France, and from
January, 1916, until the end of the year, 700 people
were cared for at private houses, after which 6, Marine
Terrace was rented and furnished for this purpose, an
officer being appointed to meet the trains and boats
and conduct the people to the Hostel.

All through the war the Silver Band held an open-
air service every Sunday afternoon opposite the
entrance to the harbour, and cheered thousands of
our boys on their way to the front.

When the daylight air raid occurred in May, 1917,
Adjutant Edwards lent great assistance to the Police,
and afterwards regularly visited the injured in the
Hospital.

232 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

When Kitchener's Army came to Shorncliffe Camp
for training the Congregational Church at Sandgate
instituted a parade service on Sunday mornings,
conducted by the Pastor, the Rev. A. Wilson,
C.F. The school- room was open every evening, as a
Club where light refreshments, writing materials, etc.,
were provided entirely free of cost to the soldiers,
the whole of the expenses being met by the members of
the congregation and their friends. From October
to March, during three years, French classes were held
and were nightly much appreciated by the men. Much
hospitality was shown to soldiers by private families.
Collections were made each year for the Christmas
pudding fund, the Red Cross and St. John Ambulance
Fund, the Sailors' Society, the Blind at St. Dunstan's,
and the V.A.D. Hospital at the Bevan Home. When
the Canadians took possession of Shorncliffe Camp the
Y.M.C.A. took over the Alhambra Music Hall, which
proved well adapted to the purpose of a Soldiers' Club.

The Cheriton Baptist Church, under the leadership
of the Rev. John Daniel, opened its Institute, which
proved a great attraction to soldiers. Several
thousand men found the homely character of the place
and its distinctly Christian tone much to their liking.

The Church carried on the usual agencies. The
evening services were popular with the men. The
medical nurse of the Folkestone Baptist Church was
lent to Cheriton for two days a week to minister to the
needs of soldiers' wives, and her help was very much
valued by the poorer people.

When Mr. Daniel left, in 1917, Mr. Penry Pryse
(ex-quarter-master-sergeant) became Minister, and gave
much assistance to discharged soldiers and sailors and
their families.

THE WORK OF THE CHURCHES. 233

The Roman Catholic Church had, naturally, the
largest share in ministering to the French and Belgian
people who sought refuge in our hospitable town.
Monsignor Coote and the local priests had the valuable
assistance of priests from Belgium. The care of the
sick and anxious of their faith involved a heavy strain.
The numerous extra services necessitated additional
accommodation, and the Town Hall was lent by the
Corporation for the celebration of Mass day by day.
The Church of Our Lady Help of Christians was
thronged with worshippers. The priests instituted
additional schools for the children, and clubs for adults,
and found homes for many of the destitute.

The smaller places of worship showed commendable
zeal in the good work. Ebenezer Hall, under the
guidance of Councillor W. J. King-Turner, did much
for the children of refugees. Canterbury Road
Congregational Church gave great assistance to those
in need. The Pastor (the Rev. H. Merchant)
and his wife served on several Committees, and Mr.
Merchant did useful work at the Harvey Grammar
School as substitute for one of the teachers who was
called to the Colours.

At the outbreak of war the Church of England
authorities at Hythe recognised that there was great
need in the town for a Soldiers' Recreation Club, as
numbers of men from the surrounding camps were
coming into the town every evening. A suitable
room over the Co-operative Stores in High Street was
secured. The Club was opened in October, 1914, and
immediately became most popular with the men.
The ladies who superintended the refreshments and
stationery departments were indefatigable in their

234 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

efforts, concerts and other entertainments were
arranged from time to time, and wounded soldiers from
the hospitals were made welcome. During the war a
short intercession for our Forces was offered up in the
room every evening.

During the autumn of 1914, Hythe, like Folkestone,
was filled with Belgian and French refugees, for whom
the Congregational Schoolroom was set apart, and all
denominations helped to minister to their wants.
At the Parish and Mission Churches weekly inter-
cession services were held. In the Mission Church
there is a war shrine with a list of the men who have
fallen inscribed in framed tablets, and the late Mr.
Melvill Hughes also erected a large war shrine in his
private grounds in North Road.

In the early months of the war, when many troops
were billetted in Hythe, it was necessary to hold two
parade services every Sunday, at 9.15 a.m. and 10 a.m.
Each was attended by about 700 officers and men.
The Vicar usually officiated, often with the assistance
of Army chaplains.

The yearly solemn service of special prayer held at
the Church was always attended by the Mayor and
Corporation, and a special service was held after the
raid in May, 1917.

The Wesleyan Church opened a club, and succeeded
in creating a homely spirit among the men. Parade
services were held regularly, and the Minister (the Rev.
E. D. Martin) gave lectures and conducted classes,
with great profit to the soldiers.

On being appointed to the charge of the Congrega-
tional Church at Hythe in 191 5 the Rev. Frederic
Hirst, Officiating Chaplain to the School of Musketry,

THE WORK OF THE CHURCHES. 235

and Acting Chaplain to the 30th Battalion (Canadians),
soon attracted large congregations of soldiers.

A parade service was held at 11 a.m. on Sundays,
Bible study circle, with an average attendance of 100,
in the afternoon, song service at 6, and the usual
evening service at 6.30, followed by a social gathering
in the Lecture Hall and a "good-night" service. A
lounge was furnished, where the men enjoyed rest,
wrote letters, played games, and made friends. During
the week concerts, lectures, debates, and socials were
held, and when the public was admitted a collection
was made for the Soldiers' Comforts Fund and parcels
were sent to the men on active service. Canadian
bands played in the Church at the monthly musical
services, and Canadian chaplains frequently conducted
the services and preached. Everything possible was
done for the social, moral, and religious welfare of the
troops. Before the Canadians left the Hythe area
they made a present to the Church of a pulpit and
church furniture to the value of £100.

The Rev. F. Hirst was, later, appointed as Chaplain
to the men at Westenhanger, Otterpool, Lympne
Aerodrome, Dymchurch, New Romney, and Lydd, and
he delivered weekly lectures to the Imperial and
Colonial troops.

CHAPTER XIV.

FOLKESTONE MEN WHO MADE THE SUPREME
SACRIFICE.

Since the dawn of history man has striven to
honour the heroic dead, and to preserve some record
of their illustrious achievements. The Pyramids
of Egypt and the ancient inscriptions of the East
bear witness to the efforts to perpetuate the names of
warriors whose deeds were glorious memories.

Folkestone's sons who went to the War and will
never return did not die in vain. Their lives are not
to be reckoned by length of years, but by greatness
of achievement. They did not fight for personal
betterment or national advantage, but to free the
world from military despotism. They gave their
lives for those who remain. As young Irving Williams
wrote : ' ' May we not read, ' Greater love than this
hath no man that he lay down his life foi his country ' ' '?
And their country was larger than they knew. They
were all heroes ; their fitting memorial is their im-
perishable deeds. Could they speak to us would they
not say, "Do not mourn for the departed, but do your
duty to those who remain ' ' ?

Great care has been taken to make the list as
complete as possible, that the Record may be preserved
in reverent honour.

Adair-Hall, Lieut. Malcolm W. F., Royal Innis-
killing Fusiliers.

ROLL OF HONOUR. 237

Allchin, Private Stephen Louis, 7th Lincolnshire.
Allen, Private George Frederick, 7th Buffs.
Allen, Private George William, 2nd Essex.
Allen, Private Thomas Henry, 6th Buffs.
Allen, Private Thomas James, Able Seaman.
Ames, Private Albert Ross, 4th Buffs.
Ames, Capt. Robert Henry, 2nd Leicestershire.
Ames, Lieut. W. K., Royal West Kent.
Amos, Private Edward Harry, 7th Buffs.
Anderson, Driver Charles, A.S.C.M.T.
Anderson, Private William, 5th Buffs.
Andrews, First-Class Stoker Alfred, R.N.
Andrews, Private Percy Arthur, nth Royal Fusiliers
Angus, Co.-Sergt.-Major John, Royal Scots.
Appleton, Lance-Cpl. T. E., 7th Buffs.
Archer, Private Harry, 2nd Batt. Australian

Infantry.
Argar, Private Albert George, Kent Cyclists.
Argar, Gunner Dudley John, R.F.A. *

Argar, Driver Stephen Henry, R.F.A.
Arthur, Private William Neville, The Buffs.
Ashman, Lance-Sergt. Charles Edward, R.M.L.I.
Austin, Private Alfred John, 2nd East York.
Avis, Private William Alfred, City of London Regt.

Bailey, Gunner A.E., R.G.A.
Bailey, Private Charles Vincent, 4th Royal Fusiliers.
Bailey, Lance-Cpl. Edward William, R.E.
Bailey, Private Christopher Gecrge William, 10th

Essex.
Baker, Capt. Harry Charles, 16th Canadian Scottish.
Baker, Private Joseph Claud, Notts and Derby.
Baker, Private Montague, Royal Berks.

238 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

Barden, Lance-Cpl. Edward George, 3rd Buffs.

Barker, Major Godfrey, R.M.L.I.

Barrett, Sec-Lieut. Cecil Roy, M.C., R.F.A.

Barrett, Private Robert, Royal Fusiliers.

Barron, Sec-Lieut. Leslie, R.A.F.

Barton, Private Arthur Owen, R.W. Surrey.

Bates, Corporal Albert Henry, Canadian Field

Artillery.
Beldon, Private James, 2nd Batt. K.R.R.C.
Bell, Leading Seaman William John, R.N.R.
Berridge, Sec-Lieut. William Eric, 6th Somerset

Light Infantry.
Binfield, Rifleman Herbert, London Rifle Brigade.
Binfield, Gunner Joseph, R.G.A.
Birch, Private George Milner, M.T., R.A.S.C.
Bodker, Lieut. John George, West Riding Regt.
Boland, Lance-Cpl. Harry George, South

Lancashire.
Bosher, Private George Thomas, M.G.C.
Bowe, Private George James, The Buffs.
Brann, Able Seaman William E., R.N.
Brice, Private James George, 10th London.
Bridger, Private Alexander W. J., Royal Warwick.
Bridges, Private Frederick John, 2nd Royal Sussex.
Bromley, Private Harold, London Scottish.
Bromley, Private W., 3rd Batt. A.I.F.
Bull, First-Class Petty Officer Albert Edward, R.N.
Bull, Sergt. Harold Joyce, 9th Batt. Australian

Infantry.
Bull, Sergt. Thomas Henry, 15th Batt. Australian

Infantry.
Burrows, Chief Petty Officer Albert Ernest, R.N.
Burrows, Private Fred, 8th Buffs.

ROLL OF HONOUR. 239

Burstow, Gunner Horace William, R.G.A.
Bushell, Cpl. Arthur, 2dn York and Lancaster.
Butcher, Private FrederickCharles, 7th Buffs.
Byrne, Lance-Cpl. Arthur Thomas, Oxford and
Bucks L.I.

Camburn, Act.-Sergt. George Hugh, 2nd North

Staffs.
Campbell, Major Montagu Irving Mitchell, M.C.,

Connaught Rangers.
Catt, Private Alfred Ernest, 7th Buffs.
Catt, Able Seaman Edward Percy, R.N.
Chalcraft, Private Walter C, Royal West Surrey.
Champion, Sergt. George, H.L.I.
Chidwick, Private Arthur E., 9th Highland L.I.
Chid wick, Private Alfred J., R. Munster Fusiliers
Childs, Private Charles, M.G.C.
Claringbould, Private Frederick William, 2nd

Buffs.
Clark, Private H., The Buffs.
Clark, Private John William Frederick, Grenadier

Guards.
Clayton, Private Victor Arthur, 8th West Kent.
Cloke, Rifleman Sydney Daniel, 8th London Regt.
Cobb, Sec-Lieut. Sydney James, Royal Munster

Fusiliers.
Cocks, Bombardier Philip W., R.F.A.
Cocks, Lance-Cpl. Thomas Frank, Kent Cyclists.
Coombes, Private Percy Harold, 24th Royal Fusiliers.
Cornish, Mooring Hand Zachariah, R.N.
Court, Lance-Cpl. Frank Dale, The Buffs.
Court, Private John S. S., 5th Buffs.
Court, Corporal Stephen Conquest.

24O FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

Cox, Bombardier Philip William, R.F.A.

Cramer-Roberts, Sec-Lieut. Edward Herbert, 2nd
Buffs.

Croucher, Private Frederick R., 5th Royal West
Kent.

Croucher, Sec.-Lieut. Frederick William, Royal
West Kent.

Cryer, Signaller Ernest, 46 th Batt. A.I.F.

Cullum, Private Harold, Royal Fusiliers.

Curtin, Private Joseph Thomas, 1st North Stafford-
shire.

Curtis, Sergt. Dispenser Archibald Robert, R.A.M.C.

Denne, Private Richard Albert, Royal West Kent.
Dilnot, Cook Lewis, T.S.S. "Queen."
Dodge, Driver Arthur William, R.F.A.
Dorrill, Cpl. Walter A., 2nd Oxford and Bucks L.I.
Doughty, Gunner Frederick James, R.F.A.
Down, Sapper Frederick Charles, R.E.
Doyle, Private Arthur John, 2/4th Hants.
Duggan, Armourer-Cpl. Richard H. J., 12th Batt.

Canadians.
Duke, Lieut. Barry Pevensey, Royal Sussex.
Duncan, Cpl. Arthur James, A.S.C.
Duncan, Cpl. Charles Edwin, 8th Batt. Rifle Brigade.
Duncombe, Private Walter John, R.A.M.C.

Edwards, Capt. Arthur Corbett.

Edwards, Private Frederick Hadley, 8th East

Surrey.
Eldridge, Trooper Theodore T. S., R.E.K.M.R.
Elgar, Private Edward W. E., 5th Buffs.
Elgar, Lance-Cpl. Ernest James, 8th Royal

Fusiliers.

ROLL OF HONOUR. 241

Ellis, Private George Crumby, 8th Buffs.
Evans, Sec-Lieut. Ernest, R.G.A.

Fagg, Private William Richard, 2nd Worcester.
Faggetter, Private William Arthur, 9th Queen's

Own Lancers.
Farley, Lance-Cpl. Ernest, Canadian Infantry.
Feather, Lieut. Reginald Albert, 5th Hampshire.
Featherbe, Gunner Alfred, C.F.A.
Feist, Private Gordon, The Buffs.
Finn, Private Frederick William, West Kent.
Fletcher, Lance-Cpl. Stanley K. G., M.G.C.
Ford, Sapper F.H., R,E.
Ford, Sapper William Alfred, R.E.
Foreman, Private Victor, 15th Middlesex.
Fowler, Trooper Harold, 1st County of London

Yeomanry.
Francis, Lance-Cpl. Arthur Ethelbert, 8th Queen's

West Surrey.
Francis, Lance-Cpl. Frank Woodhall, 1st Otagc

Batt. N.Z.F.
Francis, Private William Walter, 1st Buffs.
Fray, Lance-Cpl. Percy Ernest, The Buffs.
French, Sapper Noel, R.E.

Frost, Capt. Charles Dale, 110th Mahratta Infantry.
Furnival, Driver Edward Henry, R.F.A.

Gains, Lance-Cpl. Albert Francis, 18th Batt. London

Regt.
Gains, Rifleman Arthur Edward, 16th Batt.

K.R.R.C.
Garlinge, Private Ernest William, 1st Buffs.
Gibbs, Private E. F., 1st Batt. Canadians.

242 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

Gifford, Private Aubrey W.f 6th Infantry Batt.

Australians.
Gilham, Cpl. Leonard Frederick, Highland L.I.
Goddard, Capt. Archibald Spencer, 89th Batt.

Canadian Infantry.
Godfrey, Private Jack P., London Rifle Brigade.
Golden, Lieut. Frank Charles A., 12th Durham L.I.
Goldsack, Private Stephen Edward, East Surrey.
Goodburn, Chief Signaller Edward, D.C.M., 2nd

Oxford and Bucks
Goodman, Private Frederick James, M.G.C.
Gore, Lieut. Sydney Kingston, 1st Batt. R.W. Kent.
Green, Driver Harry Edward, R.F.A.
Greengrass, Charles Frederick, H.M.S.

' ' Proserpine. ' '
Greenland, Able Seaman Frederick J., R.N.
Griffin, Lieut. Clive, M.C. and Bar, R.F.A.
Grinstead, Private Solomon, 2nd Royal Sussex.

Had away, Private C. H., 20th Middlesex.

Hall, Private Fred Ambrose, East Surrey.

Hall, Deck Hand George, R.N.R.

Hall, Private Thomas Crossen, i/i6th London Regt.

Hall, Private W., 1st Buffs.

Hammond, Private Sidney Charles, Royal West

Kent.
Hannon, Private Michael Nicholas, 1st Buffs.
Hardiman, Sergt. William Charles, R.E.K.M.Y.
Hare, Capt. Harry Vivian, Durham Light Infantry.
Harris, Deck Hand William James, R.N.R.
Harris, Private William Thomas, 2nd South Lancas-

shire.
Harrison, Lance-Cpl. Robert George, 7th Buffs.

ROLL OF HONOUR. 243

Harrison, Sergt. George, Grenadier Guards.

Hart, Private Charles, 6th Buffs.

Hastie, Co.-Sergt.-Major Frederick, Devonshire

Regt.
Hatfield, Private Salisbury, 4th Batt. Australian

Infantry.
Hathorn, Lieut. George Hugh V., R.M.L.I.
Hathorn, Sec-Lieut. Noel McDouall, 76th Punjabis.
Hayes, Private Archibald, 14th King's Hussars.
Haywood, Private George Harold, 6th Buffs.
Herd, Sergt. Ernest William, M.M., R.A.S.C, M.T.
Heritage, Private Richard, Middlesex Regt.
Heritage, Private W. R., 16th Middlesex.
Heydon, 2nd Air Mechanic G. W. Cyril, R.A.F.
Hill, Private Harry Robert, Queen's West Surrey.
Hills, Private Harry William, The Buffs.
Hogben, Sergt. Theophilus, R.G.A.
Hollamby, Telegraphist Edward Henry, R.N.
Holtum, Private George Amos, R.A.M.C.
Hoper, Sergt. Abraham, Royal West Kent.
Koskyns, Major Henry Charles Walter, D.S.O.,

Lincolnshire Regt.
Hounsom, Sergt. A. G., 2nd Royal Sussex.
Howard, Private William Edward, 1st Somerset

Light Infantry.
Hughes, Private N., Royal Fusiliers.
Hughes, Able Seaman William Laws, R.N.

Innes, Private William George, A.S.C., M.T.

J ago, Private George James, 12th Gloucester.
Jarvis, Cpl. William Edward, M.M., 16th Royal
Warwick.

244 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

Johnson, Private William, 5th Buffs.

Jones, Lance-Cpl. Edward Owen, i/ist Glos. and

Royal Hussars Yeon anry.
Jones, Sergt. Samuel G. A., 2nd Grenadier Guards.

Keeler, Private Frederick P., 9th Buffs.
Keeling, Cpl. Arthur Reginald, Royal Fusiliers.
Kemp, Private Jesse, 1st Buffs.
Kennett, Private George Alexander, 10th Canadians
Kennett, Lance-Cpl. Thomas Lloyd, 1st Buffs.
King, Private Albert, Northumberland Fusiliers.
Kingsbury, Private Jesse Humphrey, 12th Res.

Batt. C.E.F.
Kingsley, Sergt. Charles Earlwin, 14th Batt. Royal
I Montreal R.
Knight, Lance-Cpl. William Lawrence, Royal

Fusiliers.

Lake, Lance-Cpl. James Arthur, 1st Buffs.

Lake, Private Joseph Downing, 2nd Queen's Royal

West Surrey.
Lambert, Wireless Telegraphist Gilbert John,

R.N.V.R.
Lambert, Sec-Lieut. Jack Fellows, K.R.R.C
Laney, Lance-Sergt.-Inst. John, 39th Batt. C.E.F.
Larkin, Private Charles Henry, 1st Norfolk.
Laws, Cpl. Robert Henry, 7th Buffs.
Lea, Rifleman George, 2/6 oth Rifles.
Lee, Able Seaman Percy John, R.N.
Legg, Sergt. Frederick Charles, 18th London Irish

Rifles.
Lemar, Private Charles Percival, 1st Loyal North

Lancashire.

ROLL OF HONOUR. 245

Lemar, Private Frederick, ist Loyal North

Lancashire.
Linkin, Private Percy George, R.M.L.I.
Longley, Private William Henry, i /5th Buffs .

McParlin, Segt. William, R.F.A.
McWilliams, Private Victor James, 6th Buffs.
Major, Sergt. Donald, 12th Canadian Mounted

Rifles.
Major, Sergt. Roland, 63rd Canadians.
Mant, Quart.-Master-Sergt. W. J. J., R.A.M.C.
Maplesden, Private Wilfred John, 2nd Bedford.
Mardle, Bombardier Herbert William, R.F.A.
Marsh, Sergt. George Bromley, R.F.A.
Marsh, Cpl. Arthur James, R.E.
Marsh, Able Seaman Thomas James, R.N.
Marwood, Capt. Charles P. L., ist Royal Warwick.
Marwood, Ordinary Seaman William George, R.N.
Maxted, Private Archibald, 2nd Dorset.
May, Private Joseph, ist East York.
May, Cpl. William James, 2nd Leinster.
Meath, Lance-Cpl. Thomas W., 2nd Gloucestershire.
Menzies, Sec-Lieut. William Alan, R.G.A.
Mepsted, Lce.-Cpl. Archie, 3rd Grenadier Gurards.
Mills, Cpl. Cyril, Queen's Royal West Surrey.
Milton, Private Frederick, 8th Buffs.
Milton, Lance-Cpl. Henry Thomas, i/4th Buffs.
Milton, Private Leonard, 3/5th Buffs.
Morford, Private Eric James William, nth Royal

West Kent.
Muir, Major John Huntly, 17th Lancers.
Munday, Private Charles Edward, nth Queen's

Royal West Surrey.

246 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

Munday, Rifleman William Thomas, K.R.R.C.
Murphy, Bugler John Cornelius Matthias, R.M.L.I.
Musgrave, Lance-Cpl John, 9th South Stafford.
Myers, Capt. Henry John, A.S.C.

Nesbit, Lieut. Henry George, 1st Buffs.

Newman, Rifleman Archie Victor, 16th London

Regt.
Newman, Trooper Reginald G., R.E.K.M.R.
Newman, Cpl. William, 9th Royal Fusiliers.
Nicholson, Sec-Lieut. John E. W., Loyal North

Lancashire.
Noble, Deck Hand James Robert, R.N.R.T.
Noyes, Sergt. Observer Charles Henry Crispin,

R.A.F.
Nutley, Lance-Cpl. Frederick Edward, 2nd Buffs.

O'Leary, Private Frederick T., 1st Royal Fusiliers.
Ongley, Private Arthur Fisher, A.S.C.
Orchard, Telegraphist Alfred Harold, R.N.
Orchard, Private Sidney George, M.M., Queen's

Royal West Surrey.
Orchard, Private William Samuel, Royal West

Kent.
Ovenden, Gunner Frederick, R.F.A.

Page, Stoker Petty Officer Frederick Henry, R.N.
Page, Co.-Sergt. -Major Reginald Percy, M.M., 8th

Royal Norfolk.
Page, Gunner Stanley Wallace, R.G.A.
Page, Private Walter Percy, A.S.C.M.T.
Paine, Private Charles, 6th Bedford.
Palmer, Private Charles Ernest, R.M.L.I.

ROLL OF HONOUR. 247

Palmer, Private John, 8th Buffs.

Pankhurst, Cpl Alfred James, 28th Canadian

Infantry.
Parker, Private Robert C. W., 7th Buffs.
Parks, Private George C, Royal Marine L.I.
Parsons, Capt. Alfred Henry, 9th Gurkas.
Pegg, Private Frederick Robert, A.S.C.
Penfold, Sec-Lieut. J. B., King's Own Scottish

Borderers.
Penny, Private Francis, 4th Royal Fusiliers.

Rifle Brigade.
Peters, Rifleman Frederick George, 2nd Batt.
Peters, Private William Henry, Royal Sussex.
Petty, Sergt. John Edward, R.F.A.
Philpott, Private James, 2nd Queen's.
Philpott, Lance-Cpl. Thomas Bailard, 9th Batt.

Rifle Brigade.
Pidduck, Cpl. Leonard, 1st Border Regt.
Pilcher, Lieut. Alfred M., London Regt.
Pilcher, Private Denzil Theodore, M.G.C.
Pilcher, Sergt. H. J., 2/ist R.E. Kent M.R.
Piper, Private Harry Acres, 15th Suffolk.
Piper, Private Herbert, Royal West Kent.
Plaistowe, Sapper Frederick Henry, R.E.
Poile, Private William Francis, Royal Fusiliers.
Polden, Private Alfred, Northumberland Fusiliers.
Pollard, Private William Samuel, R.A.M.C.
Poole, Private Herbert E. W., 6th Buffs.
Porter, Private Bert, 18th County of London.
Porter, Private Harold Edwin, 15th Batt. London

Regt.
Prior, Private Ernest Cecil Stephen, London

Scottish.

248 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

Prior, Private William, 13th Middlesex.
Puttee, Lance-Cpl. Arthur Alfred, i/i8th London
Irish Rifles.

Quaife, Private Henry, 8th Buffs.

Quaife, Private Ro»ert Walter Woodiwiss, 8th

Buffs.
Quinn, Lance-Cpl. William John, M.G.C.

Rawlison, Private Frederick Ernest Victor, 2nd

Royal Fusiliers.
Rayner, Private George, rst Buffs.
Reader, Private Horace William, 2nd Buffs.
Reed, Private Thomas George, 2/4th Buffs.
Reeve, Sec-Lieut. Harry, King's Liverpool.
Reynolds-Peyton, Lieut. John, R.N.
Richards, Bandsman William Robert, 2nd Suffolk
Richardson, Sub-Lieut. -Engineer Henry, R.N.R.
Richardson, Private Henry David, 9th East Surrey.
Rickaby, Lance-Cpl. Maurice Charles, 2nd K.R.R.C.
Ridgway, Lance-Cpl. Theophilus, 3/8th Manchester

Regt.
Ridsdale, Signaller Robert Hugh, Canadian Force.
Ripley, Sec-Lieut. Charles Roger, York and

Lancaster.
Roberts, Private Cyril Henry, 1st Buffs.
Robus, Deck Hand Frederick James, R.N.
Rolfe, Private A., 4th Buffs.
Rose, Private John, 12th Middlesex.
Rumney, Private Charles, 5th Buffs.
Ryan, Private Thomas, 6th Buffs.
Rye, Private Edward, The Buffs.
Rye, Private James, Queen's West Surrey.

ROLL OF HONOUR. 249

Salter, Private Charles Henry, 4th East Kent, T.
Sankey, Capt. Thomas, 2nd West York.
de Satge, Capt. Frederick Gordon, K.R.R.C.
Saunders, Private Walter George, Royal Warwick.
Savage, Private Herbert Edward, R.A.S.C, M.T.
Scott, Private Geo. F., 2nd Buffs.
Seales, Cpl. William Henry, 7th Norfolk.
Seymour, Lieut. Vere, R.N.R.
Sherwood, Cpl. Cyril Edward, 7th Buffs.
Shopland, Private Edward John, R.W. Kent.
Shrubsole, Sergt. W. J., 1st Buffs.
Sidey, Lance-Cpl. Ernest Radford, Royal Irish

Rifles.
Silvester, Wireless Operator William Henry, R.N.
Simpson, Ernest Knott, R.N.
Simpson, Private William Ernest, 7th East Kent.
Skeet, Private George Victor, Queen's West Surrey.
Skerritt, Private Edward John, Australian

Infantry.
Smart, Lieut. Eustace Fowler, 7th Leicestershire.
Smith, Cpl. George, 13th Batt. Australian Infantry.
Smith, Private Mark Sidney, i/5th Buffs.
Spearpoint, Private James, 8th Canadians.
SpearpoinT, Private William, 6th Buffs.
Spickett, Private Robert Alfred, 2nd Queen's R.W.

Surrey.
Standing, Quartermaster G. Thomas, R.N.
Standing, Sergt. Thomas Richard, Royal West

Kent.
Stay, Private Henry Richard, East Kent Yeomanry.
Stokes, Private Arthur Charles, Royal Fusiliers.
Stokes, Pioneer Charles Lewis, R.E.
Stokes, Private Frederick, 12th London Regt.

250 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

Streatfeild, Sec-Lieut. Thomas Basil Maryon,

Royal West Kent.
Strood, Lieut. Percy Samson, ist Canadian M.R.
Strutt, Private Henniker William, 20th Hussars.
Summerfield, Private Jack, ist Queen's R.W.

Surrey.
Summers, Private Frederick James, R.A.O.C.
Swain, Cpl. Leslie, 47th Batt. Canadians.
Swift, Private Cecil Herbert, 6th East York.

Taylor, Sec-Lieut. Frederick Charles, R.A.F.
Taylor, Seaman Frederick John, R.N.
Taylor, Private Fredeiick John, 4th Buffs.
Taylor, Private John William, nth Royal Fusiliers.
Taylor, Private Thomas Henry, R. M.L.I
Thomson, Private Alfred, The Buffs.
Thornbee, Private Cecil, M.G.C. Cavalry.
Thurlow, Private John Wilson, i/ic;th London

Regt.
Tiddy, Private John, Grenadier Guards.
Tribe, Private Ernest Henry, 18th Middlesex.
Trice, Sergt. F. R., Royal Fusiliers.
Tritton, Private Cecil John, 7th Buffs.
Tuffe, Charles James, "Drake" Batt. R.N.D.
Tull, Sec-Lieut Walter D., 17th Middlesex.
Tumber, Seaman Victor John, R.N.
Tupper, Stoker Petty Officer Ernest, R.N.
Tutt, Lance-Cpl. George William, 2nd Buffs.
Tutt, Cpl. Stephen Charles, 2nd Queen's.

Upton, Sergt. Philip Charles, D.C.M., 7th Buffs.
Upton, Sergt. William George, D.C.M., M.M., M.G.C.

ROLL OF HONOUR. 25 1

Varney, Signaller J. W. L., R.N.V.R.

Vinnicombe, Private Harry Verrier, Australian

Imp. Forces.
Vinnicombe, Lieut. Leslie, 2nd Devonshire.

Waddell, Private John Alfred, 7th Bedford.
Waddell, Private William George, 17th Royal

Fusiliers.
Walter, Sapper Frank, R.E.
Walter, Major William Frederick, Lancashire

Fusiliers.
Wampach, Driver Cyril C. J., R.F.A.
Ward, Cpl. William Henry, R.F.A.
Warman, Private William R. H., The Buffs.
Webb, Cpl. John Morris, 26th Royal Fusiliers.
Webster, Lance-Cpl. Clement Clair, 1st Buffs.
Weller, Lance-Cpl Sidney, 2nd Grenadier Guards.
Whitehead, Cpl. Archibald, A.S.C., M.T.
Whittall, Sec Lieut. Garth, R.A.F
Wilkinson, Sec-Lieut. R. Bruce, Loyal North

Lancashire.
Williams, Sergt. Arthur Irvine, R.A.M.C.
Williams, Private Henry George, 3rd Batt.

Canadian Infantry.
Willis, Driver A., R.F.A.
Willis, Sapper Frank Elgar, R.E.
Willis, Sergt. Thomas James, R.F.A.
Willis, Driver William Henry, R.F.A.
Wills, Private John Edwin, 24th Royal Fusiliers.
Willson, Lieut. Major Percy, 5th Canadians.
Wilson, Sergt. Alfred, 2nd K.R.R.C.
Winder, Private Cecil, 1st Buffs.
Winton, Able Seaman Albert Edward, R.N.

252 FOLKESTONE DURING THE WAR.

Wise, Able Seaman Frederick Samuel, R.N.
Wolsey, Co.-Q.-M.-S. Philip, R.E.K.M.R.
Wood, Sergt. Alfred, M.M., ist Buffs
Wood, Sec.-Lieut. Reginald Ewart, 3rd Buffs.
Woods, Stoker Petty Officer Wilfred H., R.N.
Woollett, Private George, Royal West Surrey.
Woollett, Private Walter, Grenadier Guards.
Wraight, Gunner Horace, R.F.A.
Wraight, Lieut. Leslie Cecil, R.A.F.
Wright, Rifleman Charles Stephen, K.R.R.C.
Wright, Second-Engineer Harry, Government

Transport.
Wright, Sapper William Leslie, R.E.
Wyatt, Lance-Cpl. George Alexander, 2nd Buffs.
Wyborn, Private Norman Wm. A., ist Royal West

Kent.

Young, Gunner William George, R.G.A.

' ' I heard a voice from Heaven saying : ' Blessed
are the dead who die in the Lord. They rest from
their labours and their works live after them. ' ' '

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